Prescience
by Acidwyre13
Summary: A complete re-write of Eureka Seven: AO, as imagined by a fan. Contains characters from AO, the original series, and original characters. The chapter titles are song titles, just like the shows do. Each chapter is the equivalent of one episode. NOTE/WARNING: There will be deviations from the series in terms of events and character attitudes. Remember, this is a rewrite!
1. The Outsider

Disclaimer: I do not own Eureka Seven or Eureka Seven: AO. They are the property of Bones, Dai Sato, and everybody else involved in the project. All song titles used are the property of their respective owners. I do not make any money off of this work of fiction.

* * *

Chapter 1: The Outsider

"_If you choose to pull the trigger, should your drama prove sincere, do it somewhere far away from here."_

* * *

**Okinawa, April, 2025**

"Ao! Get up! You're gonna be late!"

Crashing and clattering broke the silence hovering over the house, situated on the south shore of the island. The sun was already baking the countryside, and, despite it being early morning, the air was already muggy. The sounds coming from inside the house were no longer as loud as they were a few minutes ago, but there was still a commotion being made. A brown haired child, with a severe case of bedhead, ran down the hallway, toothbrush hanging out of his mouth.

"Havh you seenh my shohes?" asked the boy, eyes wild and head shaking, as if looking for the missing item.

"Ao, how many times have I told you? You've gotta get up earlier in the morning! And they're by the door, where they're supposed to be!" came the reply, yelled from outside the house.

Ao ran back to the bathroom and finished brushing his teeth. "_Gramps is right_", thought the boy. "_This is the third time this week I'm gonna be late_!" He wiped his mouth off, making sure to remove all traces of toothpaste from his face. He then proceeded to look at himself in the mirror. He was of average height at twelve, with brown hair and a well-kept complexion. His school uniform, albeit a little wrinkled, was the common outfit for students his age. At first glance, he was no different than the rest of the young people on the island. What set him apart were his eyes. Instead of the normal brown eyes or the rare blue eyes occasionally seen on this island, his eyes were a purple tint, with a concentric ring in the middle of the iris. He was the only one on the island with that eye color, and the people of the island made sure to remind him of that. After running his hands through his hair in a pitiful attempt to fix the mess that was his hair, he threw on his shoes and ran out the back door. An elderly man waited by the garage, looking slightly irritated at the boy. His white hair stood on end, and his spectacles did little to hide the anger in his eyes.

"Ao, don't forget you've gotta pick up Naru today, too. I swear, she has more patience than anyone I've ever seen." muttered the man as he threw a pair of keys to the boy.

"Sorry, Gramps! I stayed up too late studying for that entrance exam I've got coming up!"

"Don't give me that, boy! I heard you on the phone with Naru until at least three! She's probably exhausted, too."

Ao sighed in resignation. His grandfather was right; he had stayed up talking to Naru most of the night. Sure, it started off with the entrance exam, but it quickly diverted to other topics and, before he knew it, it was 3 A.M. and her father had taken the phone from her, telling him that he had better hang up before he walked down to that house and knocked some sense into that boy. Ao turned to see the elderly man walking to his truck.

"Need a lift to the hospital?"

"Tch! And give you a reason to be late? Get going!" yelled the man, pulling on a slightly faded but immaculately kept coat.

Ao hopped into the seat of his car. Well, calling it a car isn't exactly accurate. It had the seating and frame of a car, but there were no wheels. Instead, a long ski was attached to the bottom. Ao turned the keys and lifted up on the steering controls, as a green light flashed out the back of the ski, and a stream of green particles ushered the vehicle towards the road. The elderly man watched the vehicle disappear down the road, wiping his glasses on the front of his coat.

"That boy." He muttered under his breath, as he started his old truck and turned in the opposite direction.

Toshio Fukai was a respectable man. Having served in the military as a young man, he was against any form of laziness or uncleanliness. That said, he found himself wondering why he was so tolerant of Ao's mannerisms. If the circumstances were different, he would have pounded his ideals into that boy's head until he could recite them in his sleep. However, he was forced to use a measure of self-control. His reputation was already tarnished by the fact that he was housing a child of a foreigner. If he should create a problem child, there was no telling what would happen, to the boy or him.

* * *

A young girl waited on the side of the road, eyes silently scanning the horizon. She stood straight, trying her best to keep her uniform from getting any sort of dirt on it, but the sweltering heat was already starting to create some small stains from the sweat that was already starting to flow. Her brown hair was long enough to provide shade from the sun, but not long enough to bring a meaningful sense of relief. Upon seeing the outline of a vehicle and its tell-tale green trail following it, her face picked up. Grabbing her satchel, she started jogging towards the vehicle. She didn't make it far, as she was overcome with a violent coughing fit. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out an inhaler and took several deep breaths, as the vehicle pulled up next to her.

"I'm so sorry I'm late! Are you okay?" asked the brown haired driver.

"I'm fine! Why did you have to be late today, of all days?" replied the girl, before tossing her satchel into the vehicle and hopping into the back seat.

"Uh, you see, my FP didn't start up when I first tried to turn it on…" began the boy.

"Don't give me that, Ao! You always keep this thing in top shape. You overslept, didn't you? Don't lie to me again!" interjected the girl.

"Fine, Naru, you got me. I overslept." Ao sighed, admitting his lies were useless.

"Geez, how many times this week has this happened? Four? Five?" Naru asked, sarcastically.

"No! It's the… third." responded Ao, knowing there was no way out of the upcoming lecture he was about to receive.

"You know, if you keep this up, the teacher might decide to hold you back, right?" asked Naru.

"It's not all my fault, though! You were the one who called me last night!" cried Ao, trying to gain some sort of advantage in the argument.

"What?! Are you trying to say it's MY fault we're late?!" exclaimed Naru.

"If you weren't going on about your sloth not eating that cheap food you bought, I might have actually gone to sleep last night." said Ao, triumphantly, seemingly having found an advantage.

"Hey, it was you who debated about the benefits of feeding Noah the best food, remember?" countered Naru.

"Still, you started it." said Ao, trying to end the argument.

"Whatever, I'm done arguing with you." huffed Naru.

They sat in silence as the FP moved effortlessly over the countryside. It was turning into a beautiful day on Iwato Jima, with bright sunshine and fluffy cumulus clouds speckled across the sky. The ocean was calm, with waves gently rolling onto the shore. A slight breeze made the fields of grass appear to wave. The outline of the town appeared on the horizon.

"How do you think you'll do on the exam?" asked Ao, breaking the silence.

"I think I'll do okay. I'm more worried about you, though." replied Naru.

"What, now you think I didn't study for it?" asked Ao sarcastically.

"No, you idiot! I'm just worried they'll make the test harder for you, since, well…" said Naru, tailing off at the end as she turned her head to look out the window.

"It doesn't matter." replied Ao.

'What do you mean 'It doesn't matter'?! This exam is big for your future!" exclaimed Naru, surprised at Ao's response.

"It doesn't matter if they make the test harder. Just because they don't like me doesn't mean they're right. Just because they say I'm a foreigner doesn't automatically make me dumber than the people here." said Ao, irritation starting to seep into his voice.

"I'm sorry I said anything." huffed Naru, going back to studying the landscape. "_Still though,"_ she thought, "_It's not fair for them to do that to you. You have just as much right to call this place your home as they do."_ Naru continued to muse on these things as the FP pulled into the school yard.

* * *

The bell had just rung, sending the students outside for a fifteen minute break. Naru and Ao walked outside the school, walking over to a lone oak tree in the corner of the school yard. Ao was clearly irritated at something, as his purple eyes flashed in anger every so often, as if replaying the moment that was vexing him over and over again. Naru wanted to get him to talk about it, but she also didn't want to risk another argument like they had earlier that morning. Finally, she broke the silence.

"I can't believe that teacher!" exclaimed Naru, in an effort to get Ao to talk about what was bothering him.

"I can. That miserable old man always says something to try to set me off." replied Ao, angrily.

"I mean, I know he can sometimes be a bit…harsh, but that's still no excuse for what he pulled today." said Naru, as she sat down underneath the oak tree.

"Is there ever an excuse for him to say what he says?! I mean, I get that he doesn't like me. After all, most of the teachers here don't. But still…." Ao began, gritting his teeth to keep from going on an even more bitter rant.

Naru closed her eyes and thought about what had transpired. Mr. Kouzawa had long been known as a traditionalist and, more recently, a very vocal proponent of Okinawa's independence. As such, people he considered foreigners were never welcome in his classroom, and if they stayed, he was always rough on them. Ao was no exception. Kouzawa always made a point of stressing the differences between foreigners and the "common" people of Iwato Jima, how the common folk were of a better constitution, how overall "better" they were, and Ao just kept his mouth shut and went along with it. Today, however, was the last straw. In history class, Kouzawa brought up the Okinawa Scub Burst, the event that killed many of Iwato Jima's residents and sparked the independence debate that had been raging for the past ten years. Kouzawa was very emphatic on this day, and his comments towards Ao were even more barbed. Kouzawa mentioned how Iwato was relatively peaceful until a foreigner came to the island, and that this foreigner was responsible for all the destruction and that the island was better off with her gone. Ao had not responded to this kindly, slamming his fists on his desk and calling out Kouzawa on how one person could not be responsible for the actions of sentient objects miles away. Kouzawa retaliated that nothing of that sort had ever happened until she had shown up, and there must clearly be a connection. Ao pointed out that the people of the island had made the mistake, since they had congregated on the edge of the island that was enveloped in the explosion. Kouzawa lost his composure here, ranting about how it was typical for foreigners to place the blame on the native peoples, much like the United States had done when they colonized the world, and that Ao had no place to correct him, as he wasn't anything but the offspring of that infernal foreigner. Ao clenched his fists and prepared to lash out, but the bell had rung, and Naru dragged him out of the room before he did something he'd regret. Opening her eyes, Naru noticed Ao was staring at her. She looked away, a small blush creeping across her face.

Ao looked away as well. He knew Naru meant well, but he still didn't know how to approach her. He tended to ignore Kouzawa and his beliefs, but he couldn't help but notice them. How the people in town were never happy to see him, how at best, they were indifferent and, at worst, were hostile towards him. Naru and Toshio were the only people that treated him as if he was normal, and while he was grateful, he still couldn't understand them. Ao was also thinking about what had just happened, but he was fixed on one moment. When he accused the people of the island of being in the wrong by being in the blast zone, he immediately remembered that Naru and her family were in the blast zone. The resulting explosion had robbed Naru of her mother and took away her health, as the explosion had damaged her lungs and, as a result, required her to use that inhaler. Ao looked back at Naru.

"Hey, I'm sorry about what I said…" he began.

"What? He deserved everything you told him. That punk had the gall to accuse you and your mom of causing all these problems!" Naru exclaimed, looking at Ao.

"No, I mean, the part about blaming the people of this island. You and your family were there. I didn't think about that, and I don't want you to think what happened to you was your fault." Ao looked at her, his face betraying his regret.

"I know it wasn't, Ao. I barely remember what happened, anyway. Just a bright flash of rainbow colored light and a giant, standing between me and the light." Naru said, standing up to get ready to go back inside.

"Yeah, but…" Ao began.

"Hey, you two! Can't you be lovebirds somewhere else?" yelled a man in a pink short and askew brown hair.

"It's not like that, Gazelle!" replied Ao hotly, while Naru just chuckled and started walking back towards the school building.

"Come on, ya can't fool me forever! I see the way you two always hang out." Gazelle stated, a look on his face daring Ao to try to argue with him.

"Whatever. What's going on, guys?" asked Ao, referring to Gazelle's two companions.

"Nothing much, just making sure Gazelle stays out of trouble." said one of his companions, a tall man with a short sleeve vest and jeans. He had his arms behind his head, making him look like he had no care in the world.

"Come on, Han. You know I don't get into trouble." Gazelle replied, with a look of mock disappointment.

"Gazelle, you staying out of trouble is like Han staying off his computer. It never happens for long." said the other companion, a slightly overweight man with a floral print shirt and a buzz cut.

"Pippo, stay out of this!" Gazelle glared at the man, making him cower in his shoes.

"He's right, Gazelle. I don't remember how long it's been since you weren't in trouble." Ao stated, glad to have the attention off of him.

"Come on, guys!" Gazelle cried, pretending to be insulted.

"Anyway, what do you want, Gazelle? I've got to go take this placement exam in a few minutes." Ao said, starting to walk back towards the school building.

"Ah, yes. Ao, I need your help on a…project." Gazelle said, walking alongside Ao.

"What are you smuggling now?" Ao asked, rolling his eyes at Gazelle's endeavors.

"I'm not smuggling anything!" Gazelle exclaimed. "I'm actually recovering items now."

"Is recovering the new term for smuggling?" Ao asked Han and Pippo.

"Beats me." Han replied.

"Listen." Gazelle said, putting his arm around Ao. "You know how the Scub Coral creates all the trapar particles that allow our FP's to fly?"

"Yeah, I'm aware." replied Ao, removing Gazelle's arm from his shoulder.

"Well, there's a coral outcropping near the water boundary between Okinawa and Japan, and we went out there to explore." Gazelle began. "We found all kinds of interesting stuff on those coral plants."

"Like what?" Ao asked.

"Like this." Gazelle reached into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a bracelet. It wasn't a complete circle, but it was close, with two silver end clasps and a vibrant green-blue band that stretched from clasp to clasp. He handed it to Ao.

"This is a pretty bracelet, but I'm sure anyone can make this." Ao said, holding it in his hand.

"You see, so did we." Han said from behind Ao.

"However, Han did some research, and found that this bracelet was made by a certain person, a long time ago." Gazelle added, taking note of Ao's face.

"Who?" Ao asked, as he slid the bracelet on his wrist.

"Your mother." Pippo added, gleefully.

Ao turned his head in shock, as a glow emanated from his wrist. Ao looked down to notice the bracelet had markings starting to appear on it, spelling out a name.

**E-U-R-E-K-A**

* * *

Ao ran back into the building, reaching his classroom with seconds to spare. Naru sighed in relief that he had made it, but immediately noted the bracelet now on his wrist. "_I need to ask him about that later."_ she thought. The bell rang, and a young woman walked to the front of the room.

"I am the proctor for this exam. This test will determine what level you will be placed in when you graduate here and move on to secondary education. You will have one hour to complete the exam. Afterwards, you are dismissed for the day." she concluded, passing out the test packets for the students to take.

Ao received his test packet with a look of indifference from the instructor. _"At least she isn't going to make this any more difficult."_ he thought, as he opened the book and began the test. The test questions were not tampered with, as Naru had feared, and he began to answer them. His mind was not staying on task, though. All he could think about was that bracelet, and what Gazelle had told him. Gazelle had told him that, when his exam was finished, to meet him on the north shore of the island, and they would go looking for more items. Ao immediately jumped at the chance, and had hurried inside to take the exam.

Ao looked up to realize that he only had twenty minutes left. Finishing up, he heard a thud. It was off in the distance, but he knew he had heard something. A second thud was head, and all of a sudden Mr. Kouzawa ran into the room.

"The exam is cancelled! There will be a makeup date announced. Everyone, please leave and return to your homes!" Kouzawa said, before rushing off to another classroom.

The proctor sighed and looked up from her book. "You heard the man, turn in the exam packet. Makeup dates will be announced when they are determined." She then proceeded to get up and start collecting exams.

Ao looked over at Naru, and Naru glanced at his exam. Ao then realized what would happen. If he turned in the exam incomplete, the teachers could potentially withhold it from him, saying that he turned it in like that and, as a result, demote him to another level. Quickly, yet accurately, Ao finished the rest of the exam, filling in the last answer when the proctor reached his desk.

"Your test, Mr. Fukai." the proctor said, holding out her hand.

Ao handed her the completed test, then got up and walked outside. He looked towards the area where the sound originated from, and could see a black cloud of smoke on the horizon. Naru walked up behind him.

"What's going on?" she asked, also looking towards the smoke.

"I'm not sure, but if it got Mr. Kouzawa fired up, it must be related to the independence movement." Ao replied, walking towards his FP.

Ao activated the FP and let Naru get in the back seat. Once inside, he grabbed the controls and turned it towards the south shore.

"Why are we going this way?" Naru inquired, looking out the back towards the ever-growing black cloud.

"I'm taking you home. If anything happened to you, your dad would make sure I'm the first one suspected." Ao said, pushing the FP to go faster.

Naru knew this to be true. Her dad was a member of the Okinawa Self-Defense Force, and he was very protective of her. He tolerated Naru's friendship with Ao to a point, but if anything happened to her, Naru didn't doubt that he would go after Ao with a vengeance. Naru then saw a bright flash, followed by another explosion.

"It looks like something big is going on at the north shore." she muttered.

"We're here." Ao said, pulling the FP to a halt in front of Naru's house. Naru got out of the FP, straightening her uniform and grabbing her satchel.

"Thanks for the ride, Ao. Are you going to help Toshio at the hospital?" she asked.

"I'm gonna see if he needs help, but I'll probably just head back to the house. I'm not sure if people will want a "foreigner" giving them medical attention." Ao said, putting emphasis on the word "foreigner."

Naru sighed, knowing he was right. She turned to walk inside, but stopped, remembering to ask about his bracelet. By the time she turned around, though, Ao had already activated his FP and was driving towards the hospital. "_You're not a foreigner to me."_ she thought, as she walked inside.

* * *

Ao was moving along at a brisk pace, but his mind was moving even faster. He wasn't going to the hospital, as he already knew that Toshio would just send him home. However, he still wanted to meet up with Gazelle and his friends. The opportunity to potentially find things from his mom was too much to pass up. But what he didn't understand was why Gazelle told him this. They hadn't been friends long. In fact, Gazelle was like the other adults, giving him a hard time about being a foreigner. That changed, though. One day, Gazelle was waiting at his FP, and apologized to Ao. He said that he was just mimicking his dad and, when he thought about it, he realized that mimicking his dad had brought him nothing but trouble. He told Ao that he wanted to be more of a friend to him, and Ao had reluctantly agreed, still thinking that it was just a setup. Ao shook these thoughts from his mind as he got closer to the north shore, and instead started wondering about what was happening on the horizon.

* * *

Gazelle and his friends were waiting on the shore, watching the scene unfold before them. Two ships were firing on each other, and several jets were involved in a massive dogfight above the Scub Coral outcropping that he had been visiting. Han was on his computer, keeping tabs on the conflict, while Pippo stood in knee-deep water, paying more attention to the fish than the battle. Another explosion split the air, as the remains of a jet fighter crashed into the sea.

"The Okinawa SDF has lost its fourth fighter. Japanese reinforcements are twenty miles out, almost within optimal firing range." Han yelled out, looking up from his computer to point out the new Japanese ships.

"_This is bad_." thought Gazelle. The conflict had started not long after he had arrived at the shore. Japanese ships had arrived at the coral outcropping, only to be met by the Okinawa SDF. Both sides were claiming ownership of the coral, with Okinawa claiming the main piece for trapar mining. The Japanese, however, claimed that, since a majority of the smaller pieces were in their waters, and they would be connected to the main piece, the Japanese had the claim to the whole of the coral outcropping. This had led to a heated exchange, and then a shot was fired by the Okinawan battleship. That had started this whole fracas, and the Japanese were easily winning the battle. Aircraft were scrambled by both sides, but the Japanese airmen were far superior in terms of technology and pilot skill. This battle was going to end in a slaughter.

"Ao better hurry up and get here!" Pippo yelled. "If he doesn't show soon, we won't be able to get to the coral."

"He'll be here!" yelled Gazelle. "There's his FP!"

Ao had pulled his FP onto the beach a couple hundred yards away, and he was just turning towards the trio. Gazelle sighed in relief. Ever since he found that bracelet, he had wanted to take Ao to the outcropping. He knew that he couldn't just make all of his previous teasings go away, but if he could give Ao something, anything, related to his mother, he might be able to prove to Ao that he was genuinely sorry. Ao pulled up next to Gazelle's FP and turned his own off.

"Well, this is great!" exclaimed Ao. "How are we supposed to get there now?!"

"Just relax." Gazelle said, walking to the driver side door. "We're going to the coral."

"What?!" Pippo yelled. "We can't just fly towards a battle!"

"Sure we can." Gazelle replied, nonchalantly. "We'll go on the other side of the coral. We'll be hidden by the main plant. I'm pretty sure that plant's size will make us pretty tiny, in comparison. "

"Gazelle's right." Han said, getting into the passenger seat. "Besides, those ships are too far away to quickly get people on the coral. If they send soldiers, we'll just fly off the coral."

Ao nodded, jumping into the back seat. He had spent almost an hour flying the length of the island, and he wasn't going home empty handed. Gazelle lifted up on the controls, and angled the FP to head towards the southwest section of the coral outcropping. Hugging the water, it only took a few minutes to reach the coral. Gazelle's FP was much more aerodynamic than Ao's, which got them there in half the time it would have taken Ao in his FP. Han was still keeping tabs on the battle, now obscured by the main coral plant.

"Three Okinawan jets remain. The Japanese have lost no fighters. The ships are currently engaged in evasive maneuvers, but the Japanese ship has taken more damage." Han reported, taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm surprised our ship hasn't been sunk yet." Gazelle said, preparing to land the FP on the coral plant.

"It's taken damage as well, but the Japanese ship was hit at the waterline." Han replied, typing some information into his computer. "At this rate, the Okinawan jets will be shot down within the hour, but the Japanese ship, barring a retreat, will sink as well."

"It sounds like we'll be pressed for time. Both ships will probably send soldiers to make a physical claim, so we've gotta be fast." Gazelle said, opening the door to step out. "Han, let us know if they deploy troops."

"On it." Han said, setting up his equipment on the coral surface.

"Let's go, Ao." Gazelle said. "I'll show you where we found that bracelet."

Ao's eyes lit up, hurriedly running after Gazelle in an effort to catch up. This was the biggest chance he'd ever had to finding clues about his mother and where she had gone. He silently hoped that any clues he'd find would eventually lead him to her.

* * *

On the northeast side of the coral, the two ships were locked in an ungraceful dance of metal and fire. Both ships were damaged heavily, but the Japanese ship was definitely the worse for wear. Two holes at the waterline had the ship listing heavily, and the captain was working the pumps as hard as he could. He had called for reinforcements just after they were fired upon, and they were just now arriving on the scene. After providing the coordinates of the Okinawan ship, he ordered his own to turn and retreat. Just after issuing the order, though, a large explosion ripped through the ammo deck, splitting the ship in half. As the Japanese cruiser sank beneath the waves, its only remaining cannon fired one last shot at the Okinawan battleship.

* * *

Ao and Gazelle were at the north side of the coral plant. Standing close to the edge of the plant, Gazelle pointed to a disturbed section of the coral.

"That's where we found it. It was by itself, though." Gazelle said, turning back to see Pippo running towards them.

"Guys, we gotta get out of here!" Pippo yelled. "The reinforcements are within optimal firing range!"

"Give us five minutes!" yelled Gazelle, as he turned back towards Ao. "Looks like our time is up, man."

"But, I haven't found anything yet!" Ao yelled, looking frantically for something, anything, which could potentially give him a clue.

"I know it sucks, but we can't be caught here!" Gazelle yelled back. "If we get cau…"

A loud explosion ripped across the water. Both Ao and Gazelle looked over to see the Japanese ship split in half. Gazelle grabbed Ao and pulled him towards the FP.

"We've got to go! The Japanese aren't gonna show any mercy now!" Gazelle yelled, dragging Ao back towards the center of the plant.

"We still have time!" Ao yelled. "Let me go!"

Ao tried to wrench himself free, but Gazelle held onto his collar even tighter. Suddenly, a loud whistling filled the air, as a chunk of coral a few feet away exploded, knocking Gazelle and Ao down.

"They're firing on us?!" Pippo yelled, running in a panic back towards the FP.

Ao found himself knocked free from Gazelle's grip. He stood up and started to turn away, but something flashed, catching his eye. Gazelle got up shakily, and started walking towards his FP. Ao noticed the flash was coming from something metallic. Reaching the blast crater, Ao noticed it had a pod-like shape, with gray and black markings. Touching the side of the pod, it slid back, startling Ao and knocking him down.

"What are you doing, we've gotta go!" Gazelle yelled, looking back to see Ao sitting next to the crater.

Ao didn't respond. Instead, he slid into the opening. It revealed a single black seat and a series of controls, similar to his FP. Ao sat in the chair and looked around. He saw two sets of keypads in front of each armrest, and a heads-up display directly in front of him. A blue light pulsed from the heads-up display, showing the outline of a handprint. Ao looked at this light, trying to make sense of what he was looking at.

* * *

The Japanese ships had arrived, just in time to watch the ship they were supposed to aid split in half and sink beneath the cerulean waters. A young man, dressed immaculately in military dress, stood on the bridge, a look of anger written across his face. The captain, an older man with a full beard and a uniform decorated with numerous ribbons, stood behind him.

"We are now within firing distance, Mr. Nakamura." The captain said, placing his hands behind his back.

"Very well, Captain Hiyozaki." Nakamura replied, turning to face the captain. "Have your cruisers obliterate that battleship. We must avenge this dishonor."

"As you wish, Minister." Hiyozaki replied. "Men, turn broadside and fire all guns. We're ending this now."

"Yes sir!" an orderly replied, immediately turning and maneuvering the ship into firing position.

"What about the coral plant?" Hiyozaki asked. "An errant shell might destroy parts of it."

"That plant is dormant." Nakamura replied. "Besides, anything less than total destruction won't stop the production of trapar."

"Very well." Hiyozaki replied, walking to the front of the bridge.

"_Considering that we might have to forfeit this plant to the Okinawans to avoid an international incident after this, it might be better if we do damage the plant."_ Nakamura thought, as he walked out on deck to watch the fireworks.

* * *

Gazelle glanced back to find Ao had disappeared. Wondering if he had fallen off the edge, he started walking back towards where he last saw Ao. Suddenly, several loud booms were heard off the water, and three shells slammed into the coral plant. The resulting explosions blasted chunks of coral off of the top of the plant, sending them hurtling below, right where Ao was.

"Ao, look out!" Gazelle yelled, as the shockwave knocked him off his feet.

"Gazelle!" Pippo yelled, running back and grabbing Gazelle to see if he was okay.

"Where's Han?" Gazelle asked, getting up and brushing himself off.

"He's bringing the FP to us. Where's Ao?" Pippo replied, looking for their companion.

"He just disappeared, and those falling chunks are gonna get him." Gazelle said.

Both Gazelle and Pippo looked over towards their friend, just as the falling coral slammed onto the surface.

* * *

Ao sat inside the machine, trying to figure out what to do. He was looking at the blue light, trying to figure out its significance, when he heard a massive explosion. Looking up, he saw large chunks of jagged coral falling towards him. Twisting in his seat, he frantically started looking for the way to close the hatch, when he placed his hand on the heads-up display in front of him. Suddenly, the pod slammed shut, and an electrical shock ran up Ao's arm and through his body. Jerking his hand back, he saw the machine starting to light up, with the following appearing on the display.

**Welcome Back.**

Ao looked on in shock, as the machine started to groan and creak, straining against the coral it was trapped in. As Ao placed his hands on the controls, the following appeared on the display.

**Data Analysis** **Complete: Hello, Ao.**

Ao didn't know what to do. "_This machine knows me?!"_ he thought. Suddenly, the machine started lurching forwards and backwards. Strapping himself in, Ao noticed two triggers on the backside of the controls. "_Should I use these?_" Not waiting for an answer, Ao closed his eyes and squeezed.

* * *

Nakamura looked on as the Okinawan battleship sank. Every cannon on the three Japanese cruisers had fired simultaneously, and, aside from three errant shots that hit the main coral plant, every shell hit the battleship on its starboard side. The ship was all but destroyed now, as it began to founder beneath the waves.

"Serves them right." he said, to no one in particular. "Insolence begets destruction."

'Sir, the battleship is destroyed." Hiyozaki said, walking up to Nakamura. "However, we are getting anomalous readings from the coral plant."

"Hmm?" Nakamura hummed, turning to face Hiyozaki. "How so?"

"Well, our motion sensors detected small scale movement on the plant. After scanning the plant, we saw one vehicle fleeing the scene." Hiyozaki said, a stoic look on his face.

"Probably just some bystanders watching the battle up close." Nakamura said, running his fingers through his jet black hair. "No issue there. Now, about..."

Just then, a loud series of popping sounds emanated from the northern side of the main plant. Turning to see what the commotion was about, a large cloud of dust obscured the north side of the plant, as large pieces of coral fell into the sea.

* * *

Han piloted the FP away from the plant, as Gazelle sat with his head in his hands. Pippo stared out the back of the FP, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever would happen.

"We left him." Gazelle muttered to himself, despondently.

"We had to." Han said, not even looking over at his friend. "After the battleship was destroyed, the only logical action would have been to advance on the plant. Also, the Japanese fighters had shot down the remaining SDF jets. Aerial recon was gonna pick up, and escape would have been impossible."

"But still!" Gazelle yelled, slamming his fists on the dashboard. "We took him out there to find something that might be connected to his mom, and we've abandoned him to the mercy of the Japanese!"

"Hey, remember that coral collapse?" Pippo chimed in. "He might already be crushed by that."

"You're not helping, Pippo." Gazelle growled, gritting his teeth. "What do we tell his grandfather now?" he muttered to himself.

"We tell him the truth." Han said, a look of sympathy on his face. "We tell him that we thought we found something related to his mom, and an errant Japanese shell trapped him there."

"I can't tell him that!" Gazelle cried out. "What if…"

A loud crash was heard. Turning the FP to see what was going on, they saw a large cloud of dust on the north side of the plant. Suddenly, a flash of green erupted out the side of the plant, as a gray machine flew into the air.

"Are you seeing this?!" Gazelle yelled, straining against his seatbelt.

Han and Pippo didn't answer. They couldn't believe what they were witnessing, either.

* * *

Ao opened his eyes, and instead of darkness, he saw the overwhelming blue that was the sky and sea. He looked around to see that he was free of the coral plant, but couldn't believe what he was flying. The machine had a form like a man, with two legs, two arms, a head, and a torso. The controls were just like his FP, so controlling the movement wasn't too difficult. The machine was gray and black, with green pieces of metal scattered all over. It was also standing on a board, where green particles were coming out from behind it. "_What is this thing?_" he thought. As if reading his mind, the display lit up.

**Nirvash**

"_Nirvash?"_ he thought. "_So that's your name."_

Ao turned the Nirvash until he saw the Japanese cruisers. He then noticed that the guns of those cruisers were aiming right at him.

* * *

Nakamura watched as the gray machine flew out of the plant, green trapar trail behind it. "_The Mark I?!_" he thought. "_That thing's been missing for years!"_

"Sir, it's coming right for us!" an orderly yelled, getting the attention of the captain and minister.

"Is it operating automatically?" Hiyozaki asked, returning to the bridge.

"No sir, there seems to be a young pilot at the helm." the orderly replied.

"Suicidal imbecile." Nakamura muttered. "A kid thinks he can use that against the Japanese navy?"

"Sir, how should we proceed?" Hiyozaki asked, turning to face Nakamura.

"Firing warning shots, try to get it to land. We need to recover that thing." Nakamura said, unable to look away from the machine.

"As you wi…" Hiyozaki began, only to be cut off.

The coral plant suddenly shook violently, as new pieces of coral rocketed out of the sea. The plant flashed a dull green, and a splash of particles filled the air around it.

"_The coral plant is now active?!_" Nakamura thought.

Suddenly, a massive column of rainbow colored light erupted out of the sky. Concentric rings of different colors were suspended around the column of purple-white light, bright enough to eclipse the sun. Gazelle and his friends landed their FP on the shore and stared dumbfounded. Ao brought the Nirvash to a near hover, also awestruck by the sight before him. Nakamura and Hiyozaki stood on the deck of their cruiser, but instead of awe, they felt fear.

"Orderly, activate motion scanners!" Hiyozaki yelled. "_There are reports of a nightmarish creature that appears with these lights."_ he thought. "_We won't be alone for long."_

* * *

On the island, Toshio Fukai was standing outside the hospital, awaiting the casualties the battle would inevitably bring. He had overheard that there was a clash between the Okinawa SDF and the Japanese military, but he figured it would be just a minor skirmish. When reports came that there were two sunken ships and several downed fighters, he had made his way out of the hospital. He knew his hospital would handle the influx of patients, so he saw no reason to stay inside the building when he knew he'd be there for hours. As he began to turn to go back inside, the sky had flashed, and a brilliant column of light erupted from the sky. Toshio had stared at the light as well, but he knew what it meant. When the nurses went outside to stare in amazement, they saw he had a look of sadness on his face, but when they tried to ask him, he just shook his head and walked away. Many of the people in the hospital saw the light as well, and many were in awe. But several sat trembling in their beds, with the same thing repeating in their minds and on their lips.

_G-Monster_

* * *

The column of light was still shining brighter than the sun, but a region of darkness was appearing in the midst of the light. An unearthly shriek rang out, and the darkness began to take shape. Sleek and reflective, several black shapes began to emerge. They coalesced around a central piece, forming a fragmented mass, black and purple, which hovered over the water. As quickly as it had appeared, the column of light vanished, leaving behind this new creature. In that moment, everyone knew. They knew the reports of a creature that accompanied the light were not unfounded. And Ao, who had moments before uncovered his own machine, knew what he had to do.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. All I Want

Disclaimer: I do not own Eureka Seven or Eureka Seven: AO. They are the property of Bones, Dai Sato, and everybody else involved in the project. All song titles used are the property of their respective owners. I do not make any money off of this work of fiction.

* * *

Chapter 2: All I Want

"_I'm not afraid of anything; I've got the whole world in front of me._"

* * *

The waves were crashing harder against the hulls of the ships, as every crewmember stared in a mixture of awe, fear, and curiosity. The black creature, hovering over the water, had not moved since the column of light that had heralded its entrance into this world had vanished. Captain Hiyozaki removed his cap and clutched it tightly in his hands as he tried to figure out his next move. He and Nakamura were the top two in command, so the decisions either of them made would not only affect them, but also everyone within the vicinity. Nakamura stood straight and, turning towards Hiyozaki, spoke with no hint of emotion in his voice.

"Captain, order all vessels to attack with all weapons."

"E-Excuse me, sir?" Hiyozaki stammered out, taken aback by Nakamura's order.

"I said, order all vessels to attack with all weapons," Nakamura repeated, staring at Hiyozaki with an impassive countenance.

"But, sir!" Hiyozaki exclaimed, and then lowered his voice, as if his words might incite the creature. "We are not prepared to take on a creature of this magnitude." He whispered, a look of fear in his eyes.

"Hiyozaki, how long have you been a Captain?" Nakamura questioned, turning to look at the creature, still hovering over the water.

"Sixteen years, sir, bu-" Hiyozaki began, only to be cut off by Nakamura's upstretched hand.

"So you would know that, when surprised, the best course of action would be to commence an immediate counter-attack, correct?" Nakamura continued, turning back to look at Hiyozaki. "Order all ships to hit that thing with everything we've got. When this is over, I'll be sure to arrange your promotion, personally," Nakamura added, starting to walk back to the bridge. Hiyozaki grabbed his shoulder.

"Nakamura, this isn't about promotions!" He cried. "Have you read the reports about these things?! The utter destruction they leave in their wake?! We can't just attack it like a passing ship!"

"Hiyozaki, perhaps you forget. What I have told you is a direct order, as bestowed by the authority of the Japanese government," Nakamura replied, sternly, as he stepped out of reach of Hiyozaki's outstretched arm. "I have read the reports, and every instance of immediate attack has resulted in the destruction of the target in question. Either you give the order to attack, or I will, and you will be sent to monitor the weather buoys off the coast of Sakhalin. Either way, that…thing…will be attacked," Nakamura spat, pointing at the hovering mass. "Now, what is your course of action, _Captain_?" He stressed.

Hiyozaki gritted his teeth. "_Cursed brat!_" he thought "_Just because your father held a high position doesn't give you the weight to make such a decision._"

Hiyozaki was a proud Captain. Having served in the Japanese Navy for the past twenty-five years, his ascendency to a Captain's position in merely nine years was then unheard-of. The recent trend in military proceedings, however, had left him bitter. People were being appointed to positions of power based on family or political connections, and the overall skill of the men and women in the Navy suffered as a result. Hiyozaki ran a tough ship, but he was fair, and the crew under his command loved him for it. If he attacked, he might send them all to their deaths. If he didn't, he would be replaced by some snot-nosed brat fresh out of officer's school who would, in all likelihood, lead his crew to their deaths, and his demotion would be the ultimate dishonor. A difficult choice, but not an impossible one.

"Hiyozaki, I don't believe you've issued any commands," Nakamura commented, looking back over his shoulder.

Hiyozaki sighed, bracing himself for what he was about to unleash. He walked into the bridge, past several orderlies who watched the previous scene with wide eyes, and picked up the microphone. Clearing his throat, he issued what was the heaviest order of his military career.

"All ships, you are cleared to engage. Fire everything. I repeat, Fire everything!"

* * *

Ao watched the scene before him unfold. The guns that were previously aimed towards him turned to the black creature, and, in a gripping display of sound and fury, fired at the creature. Several explosions resounded throughout the bay, as machinegun fire and heavy artillery peppered the smoke cloud that was quickly engulfing the creature. _"No way,_" he thought. "_They're actually attacking the G-Monster!_" Realizing how close he was to the combat, Ao turned the Nirvash away from the battle, but didn't get far before an unearthly roar resounded through the air. Turning back, he saw the smoke dissipating, revealing an intact, and angry, creature.

* * *

Nakamura stared in shock as the smoke dissipated. The creature not only survived the onslaught, but didn't have so much as a scratch on its exterior. Hiyozaki walked up behind Nakamura, his cap in his hands.

"It appears your plan has failed, Minister."

Nakamura turned and, in a fit of rage, punched the Captain in the face, knocking him backwards into the railing. Running into the bridge, he grabbed the microphone and started shouting.

"This is Minister Nakamura. Why have you stopped firing?! Keep attacking!"

"It's no use," Hiyozaki said, calmly, pointing his service pistol at Nakamura. "Combined with the attack on the Okinawan battleship, we have exhausted all of our ammunition. You have sentenced all of us to our fates, sir." Hiyozaki turned to an orderly "Sir, escort Minister Nakamura to the brig for assaulting a member of the Imperial Japanese Navy."

"You…" Nakamura gritted his teeth.

Before the orderly could handcuff Nakamura, a loud explosion knocked all of them off their feet. Outside, the creature had attacked the closest ship. A black pod, sharply pointed, had impaled the vessel through the hull, piercing the engine room armor and igniting the fuel reserves. The explosion had heavily cracked the hull, and the cruiser was taking on water. Removing the pod, the creature zoomed across the water, hitting the second ship in the same area in the same manner. This time, the pod sheared through the metal, splitting the ship in half. Nakamura stood and staggered out of the bridge, watching in horror as the two cruisers around him started to sink beneath the waves. A sickening feeling overcame him, and as he leaned over the railing to empty his stomach of its contents, a shockwave from a fresh fuel explosion knocked him over the railing and into the water. As he surfaced, Nakamura watched as the creature fired a beam of light at the destroyer he was just standing on. The light tore right through the heavy armor on the ship, and after a couple seconds of silence, the ship exploded, blasting metal and people several feet into the air. The resulting wave picked up Nakamura and threw him onto some floating debris, which he clung to in a death-grip. As he was pushed away from the ships, he could see the creature turn away from the ships. Before he passed out from the shock, Nakamura realized that it was going after the Nirvash.

* * *

Ao stared on in horror, gazing at the remains of the Japanese reinforcements. Suddenly, alarm sensors began to go off like crazy throughout the cockpit. Looking downward, he saw the creature flying up towards him, its arm lunging towards the Nirvash in an effort to impale the machine. Yanking the controls, The Nirvash ducked underneath the creature's arm and began to fly away, the creature turning and immediately chasing after him. Ao looked around the cockpit, looking for the throttle to make the machine go faster.

"There's gotta be something to make this thing go faster!" he yelled.

Reaching for the steering controls, he accidentally hit a switch just to the right of the console. The Nirvash began to power down, as it wobbled on its board and started to lose altitude.

"Ah! That wasn't what I wanted to do!" he panicked, flipping switches and hitting buttons throughout the cockpit. The machine powered back up, and Ao, lurching from the kick the trapar particles created when the board started expelling them again, pushed forward on the steering console. Suddenly, the machine took the board beneath him and attached it to its back. Ao watched in wonder as, quickly yet efficiently, the machine transformed into a new form, a form that reminded Ao of the jets he had seen flying over the island occasionally. The arms of the machine were bent at the elbow, creating an L-shape that formed wings. The legs folded underneath the machine at the kneecap, pushing the mechanical torso backwards, elevating the shoulders to create two vertical stabilizers. The new form immediately took off at a faster speed, slamming Ao against his seat. The creature let out another shriek, and immediately sped up in an effort to catch the faster machine.

* * *

Gazelle watched the scene unfold before him with a mixture of interest and concern. His FP, floating at a hover almost a half-mile away, had been the perfect vantage point for the creature's grotesque handiwork, but when it started chasing after Ao, Gazelle had immediately tried to take the controls away from Han.

"We need to get over there!" He strained, pushing against Han's resisting arms.

"Gazelle, get a hold of yourself!" Han replied, shoving Gazelle against the passenger door. "You know this thing isn't a match for that monster!"

"I agree with Han!" Pippo squeaked out from the backseat, his face pale and sweaty. "We need to get out of here before it comes after us!"

"What, and leave Ao to his death?!" Gazelle yelled, turning to look at Pippo. "If I knew you were gonna be a coward, I'd have left you on the beach!"

"Stop yelling!" Han shouted, trying to take control of the situation. "Pippo's right, if that thing comes after us, we're done for."

"We need to help Ao!" Gazelle pleaded, trying to change Han's mind.

"How, by getting destroyed?" Han replied, exasperated. "Listen, I understand you want to help Ao, but we can't right now. We need to get back and warn everybody so, if something happens, no one's caught off guard."

Gazelle hated to admit it, but Han was right. He knew his FP wouldn't put up any sort of fight against that monster, and the last thing he wanted to do was die. Gazelle looked at the two distant shapes dancing among the clouds.

"You're right, Han. Let's get back," he muttered, slumping down in his seat.

"It'll be fine, Gazelle," Han said, turning the FP towards the island.

"Remember what they say, Gazelle, 'Keep your hopes up high and your head down low!'" Pippo said from the backseat, more than a little relieved to be leaving the immediate danger.

Gazelle didn't respond. "_Ao, you better beat that thing."_ He thought. "_I still haven't made up for all the crap I put you through, and you can't die until I'm done."_

* * *

High above the planet, a trail of light and fire blazed through the atmosphere. A lone ship, its blue and white surface merging with the dull red created from the friction of reentry, streaked towards the east, the sun at its back. It was a rather large ship, with two pairs of vertical stabilizers at the rear directing the craft, moving slightly to alter the course of the ship. The engines were shuttered, unnecessary for the moment. At the front of the ship, the glass viewports were sheltered from the intense heat, retaining a crystal clear view of the planet rising beneath it. It was here that the pilots sat, monitoring the numerous computer monitors for any changes in reentry trajectory. A tall man, a scowl etched on his face, stood watching the planet beneath him. He stood at least six and a half feet tall, making him an imposing figure, with blond hair and a thick moustache of the same color. His arms were crossed in front of him, pinning his red and white flight vest against his chest. His uniform, consisting of a buttoned shirt and slacks, complete with tie, was slightly faded, yet still very much presentable. Turning to return to his seat, he removed his amber-tinted glasses, wiping them on the sleeve of his shirt. After returning them to his face, he was greeted by the sight of a woman, walking up the stairs to join him and the pilots. She wore a vest similar to his, opting for a black, sleeveless shirt and form-fitting pants instead of dress attire. She held a cup of coffee, still steaming, which was readily taken by the man. Taking a sip, he sat in a large chair in the center of the bridge, indicating that he was the captain of the commander of the vessel. The woman took a smaller seat to his left, placing a headset on top of her violet hair. Her green eyes were illuminated by the computer before her, as she accessed the information that had appeared in her absence.

"The contract with the Okinawan government is in the final stages of completion, and should be finalized by the time we arrive in the airspace," she said, fingers deftly moving across the keyboard.

"Excellent," the man replied, taking another sip of his coffee. "What is the status of the Secret?"

"It's a J-Type Secret, so it has stronger armor than the usual K-Types. Apparently, a detachment of warships, probably Japanese, tried to take it on shortly after it appeared," she responded, pulling up satellite images of the creature on a screen that was integrated into the center glass viewport. The images looped to form a sequence where the creature was obscured by smoke, then emerged to destroy the ships around it. "From what we can tell, all three ships were destroyed in a little over a minute."

"Tch, they couldn't even wait 'til reinforcements showed up," the man scoffed, setting his cup down on a small shelf attached to his chair. "What's the current situation?"

"That's the thing," she responded, activating a second screen next to the main viewport. This screen flashed to show the creature turn and immediately take off after a small blip. "It appeared to chase after some unknown craft, but current reconnaissance footage suggests that whatever it was chasing is still in the vicinity."

"Enlarge the blip, please," he responded, leaning forward in his seat. "_I can only think of one thing that could survive this long against a Secret,_" he thought.

The woman typed on her keyboard, taking the image and increasing the magnification. After several moments, the image popped into focus, revealing the outline of a gray machine with a green trail behind it. The woman gasped quietly, having a difficult time grasping what she was actually seeing.

"H-How?!" she exclaimed. "That thing's been missing for years!"

"It's been ten years since the Mark I was last seen," the man said, with a hint of excitement in his voice. "What I'm curious about is who is flying it. Any information about that?" he inquired, turning to face the woman.

"Give me a second," she replied, burying her face in the screen directly in front of her. An animated icon popped up on the main screen.

"How come you're not asking me?" the icon let out, an air of mock disappointment in its computer-generated voice. "I could have told you all the information you just received in half the time it took her to make your coffee."

"Georg…" The woman growled out, irritated that the computer was dismissing her work.

"Just before the Secret arrived, a naval battle took place near the coral plant between four Japanese ships and an Okinawa SDF battleship," the icon began, ignoring the woman. "Satellite sensors showed that there were people on the plant, and the Mark I subsequently emerged after the plant took fire from the Japanese ships."

"_So, it was buried in the coral,"_ thought the man. "_How interesting."_

"Judging from the way the Mark I has been engaging the Secret, whoever is piloting it is not very skilled at piloting IFO's," Georg continued. "However, as Rebecka noted, the Secret is a J-type, so the fact that whoever is piloting the Mark I is still alive is quite an accomplishment."

"That's Ms. Hallström, to you," Rebecka directed at Georg, her voice giving away her frustration.

"Sorry, Ms. Hallström," Georg said, his mechanical voice hinting at sarcasm. "Regardless, the Mark I has been showing signs of slowing down. Whoever is behind the controls is clearly becoming fatigued. Assuming current parameters, the Secret will destroy the Mark I and proceed to attempt a confluence explosion. My current calculations have this occurring with ten minutes."

"Thank you, Georg," Rebecka said, smacking the computer terminal next to her. Georg was disrupted by static, but remained on the screen.

"Ah! Ivica, stop her! Hitting the terminal leaves me feeling all scrambled!" Georg yelled, his voice a mixture of panic and amusement.

"That's 'Chief', to you, Georg!" Rebecka replied, smacking the terminal again, this time a bit harder. Georg vanished from the screen, returning the viewport to its original state.

"You really don't like that computer, do you?" Ivica quipped, taking a sip from his coffee cup.

"I don't understand why the newest software had to have a personality upgrade," Rebecka muttered, rubbing her temples with her fingertips. "I miss the days when he would provide the information and just go away. I don't need a computer with a superiority complex on this ship."

"Well, the decision to upgrade Georg was out of our control," Ivica sighed, setting his now empty coffee cup aside. "We should probably brief the girls, since we're almost done with reentry."

"Hold on, I'll pull them up," Rebecka replied, typing on the keyboard in front of her. The forward viewport transformed into a screen again, this time with two camera feeds. The one on the right showed a young girl with blonde hair, her pale blue eyes flashing in annoyance.

"Can we go yet?!" The girl growled, tilting her neck to the side to pop it. "We've been in these cockpits for the last hour!"

"We'll be in range in the next twenty minutes, Fleur," Rebecka responded, rolling her eyes at the girl's attitude. "Hey, Elena, pay attention!"

"Wha?!" the girl on the left screen exclaimed, her face illuminated by an unseen light source. "I'm listening!"

"Did you take your tablet with you, again?!" Fleur exclaimed, her face partially obscured by her helmet visor.

"I figured we'd be here a while, so, yeah, I brought it," Elena responded, matter-of-factly. "I didn't want to miss my show."

"Ugh, you and your _shows_!" Fleur groaned, her head falling forward in exasperation.

"Hey, at least I'm not spilling my guts all over the internet for all the boys to gawk at!" Elena replied, a smug look on her face.

"You might as well be, posting all your cosplay photos everywhere," Fleur retaliated, a smug look forming on her face to match Elena's.

"Can it!" Rebecka shouted, reining the two bickering teammates in. "It's time for the briefing."

"Where are we going?" Fleur asked, her face changing to a serious expression.

"Okinawa." Ivica stepped in, appearing in the corner of the camera feed the girls were receiving.

"No way!" Elena shouted, her eyes growing wide. "Are we going by Japan afterwards? Are we?!"

"Focus!" Rebecka yelled, trying to re-gain control. "We're here for a mission, not to vacation."

"Sorry..." Elena muttered, obviously crestfallen.

"Anyway, the contract with Okinawa is almost complete, so we can't launch yet. However, once approved, you are to destroy a J-Type Secret. It is within the vicinity of the coral plant, but is currently not engaging," Rebecka explained, sending images of the Secret to the two girls.

"Why hasn't the Secret attempted to fuse with the coral yet?" Fleur wondered, looking over the pictures.

"That's the catch. Satellite images have confirmed that the Mark I, codename "Nirvash", has reappeared after a ten year disappearance. Whoever is piloting it has led the Secret all over the region, including several smaller islands. While untrained, the pilot has yet to lead the Secret to the coral plant, and the Secret has made no attempt to disengage," Rebecka continued, pulling up the enhanced images to show the Nirvash.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Elena exclaimed. "Is it coming back with us?"

"If possible, we are to retrieve the Mark I. Destroying the Secret takes top priority," Ivica said, crossing his arms. "We'll let you know when it's time to launch. Be ready."

"Yes, sir," Fleur nodded, deactivating her camera feed.

"Kay kay!" Elena chirped, deactivating her camera feed as well.

Rebecka closed out the two active view-screens, returning the bridge to its original state. She then removed her headset, stretching her arms upward to relieve the crick in her neck. Walking around the back of the Captain's chair, she retrieved the empty coffee cup.

"I've got to let Blanc know that we found the Mark I," she said, before turning and leaving the bridge.

Ivica nodded in understanding, watching as the viewport was filled by the blue waters of the South China Sea. As he heard the door shut, Ivica returned to his seat, contemplating all of the information he had just received.

* * *

Ao slammed into the side of the Nirvash's chair, groaning in frustration and soreness. He had been trying to shake the monster that was following him for the past twenty minutes, to no avail. In a move that weighed heavily on his mind, he had made a sharp turn that flew the Nirvash over Iwato Jima, and the creature had attacked him with the same beam of light that destroyed the Japanese destroyer. While he had dodged the attack, the houses beneath him did not, and a small section of the island was in flames. Ao was shaken from his thoughts by the sound of crackling, indicating the creature was about to attack. Yanking the steering controls to the right, Ao sent the Nirvash into a downward turn, righting himself as the ground beneath him changed into water. Evading yet another beam of light, which crashed into the water below, Ao noticed two things. First, he had returned to where the whole chase started. Second, a small ship was leaving the scene, cutting through Japanese waters.

* * *

The Japanese patrol vessel _Koshiki_ had received word of a disturbance in the waters off of Okinawa a couple hours ago. Were it not for a delay leaving port with a small fishing trawler, it would have arrived at the scene at least a half-hour earlier. When it did arrive, it was greeted with a sea of debris. After receiving an order to search for survivors, the crew of the _Koshiki_ had deployed three smaller powerboats, leaving the patrol boat in Japanese waters in case of an attack. The powerboats returned with only one survivor, retrieved from a small rock that rose from the sea floor. He wore an outfit different from the normal navy uniform, and he was still in a state of shock. Upon reaching the patrol boat, he was received by the captain of the ship. The man claimed that he was a minister in the Imperial Japanese Military Cabinet. As the ship returned to Japan, the minister sat on the deck of the patrol vessel, a distant look on his face. However, unbeknownst to the crew, his mind was already formulating a plan. A plan that, if successful, would not only cement his legacy, but also take care of the Okinawan problem.

* * *

Ao cut the Nirvash into a steep dive, pulling up a few feet above the water. Without missing a beat, the creature behind him followed suit, firing off a smaller version of its beam of light. The laser narrowly missed the Nirvash, instead impacting the coral outcropping in front of the duo. The severed piece of coral fell into the sea, emitting a green trail that sheened across the water. "_So, that's how trapar looks when it actually sits on water,_" Ao thought, watching as the trapar slick disappeared as quickly as it had formed. Ao looked back, trying to find the creature. During the chase, Ao had been knocked into the steering console, deactivating the shield that had surrounded the cockpit glass. In doing so, the canopy was revealed to be a panoramic canopy, offering a complete view of his surroundings. This had helped him immensely, both in that he was able to fly without wondering if he was going to slam into the side of a mountain, and that he could actually track the creature chasing him. The creature was still following him, rearranging the pieces that formed its arms back into their normal states after having fired the laser. _"It has to move into position in order to attack like that."_ Ao wondered, looking at the triggers on the back of the steering console. "_If I can turn this thing back around, I might be able to fight this thing._"

Remembering that he had pushed the steering controls forward in order to turn into a jet, Ao pulled straight back on the console. Immediately, the Nirvash extended its arms, while the legs fully extended beneath it. Since the board was already attached to the machine's feet, the craft had no delay in transforming back to its original, humanoid shape. Looking at the console in front of him, Ao noticed a switch with a little gun icon above it. Flipping it, the Nirvash reached down its sides and grabbed two large machineguns that were attached at the hip.

"It's now or never!" Ao exclaimed. With that, he yanked the controls sharply to the right, turning the Nirvash to aim its guns at the chasing monster. Squeezing the triggers, the Nirvash opened fire on the creature. Shrieking, the monster moved its left arm-pod in front of the mass that served as its head, shielding it from the bullets. It then threw its right arm-pod forward, attempting to impale the attacking machine. Ao pulled back on the controls, letting off the triggers in order to try to deflect or somehow avoid the attack. The arm-pod of the creature slammed into the side of the Nirvash, just missing impaling the machine by inches. Swinging to its left, the monster threw the Nirvash into the main coral plant.

"No!" Ao yelled, trying to suppress the thought that he had failed from entering his mind. As he looked upwards, he saw the creature slowly descending and landing on the coral plant. Ao closed his eyes, not wanting to see what was next.

* * *

The blue and white vessel was still descending, having to deploy its wings in a slanted pattern in order to continue decreasing speed from having reentered the Earth's atmosphere. Rebecka was typing frantically on her computer, talking to someone on her headset.

"Is it finally done?!" she exclaimed, exasperated at the delays.

"Yes, the contract has just been sent to the UN," a voice replied on the other end of her call. "You have permission to launch. The Okinawan SDF hasn't been officially informed yet, so you might have some trouble if they catch you before they're notified of the agreement."

"We won't get caught," Rebecka stated, ending the conversation. Without missing a beat, she pulled up the camera feeds to the two girls in the cargo hold. 'Fleur, Elena, the Secret is beginning its assault on the coral plant. Scramble. Scramble immediately!"

"On it!" both girls chimed in unison, as the bottom of the ship opened to reveal two docking mechanisms. A blue machine was attached to the forward docking port. It was a dark blue color with black inlays, with four small rocket engines in the center of the body. Its arms were extended outward, curving at the elbow in a way to create wings. The shoulders of the humanoid machine were layered on top of the wings, with two large machinegun barrels at each end. The legs were folded beneath the body, attached to two long skis. Emitting the tell-tale green trail of activation, the craft waited for the dock to release.

"Fleur, you have permission to launch," Rebecka relayed to the pilot of the blue craft.

"Roger, this is the Alleluia, launching," Fleur responded, with an ease and experience that accompanied numerous launches.

The dock released, and the blue machine rocketed ahead of the larger vessel. The second docking pot maneuvered into position, carrying a red machine. Its armor was much thicker than the craft that had preceded it. Its cockpit was not in the center of the machine, as it was on the Alleluia. Instead, it was mounted above the main body, creating a dual-layer machine. The arms were stretched out the side, creating two wings that held massive machine cannons on each tip. The bottom of the craft was different, as there were no boards or skis attached. Instead, the legs of the machine folded upward into the main body. Reflective screens on the underside of the wings flashed, and green particles started flowing behind the craft, indicating activation.

"Elena, you have permission to launch," Rebecka relayed to the pilot.

"Roger that! Kyrie, the fearsome terror of the skies, the vanquisher of Secrets, th-Ah!" Elena gushed, before the docking ports holding it to the main vessel released it, dropping it like a stone. The Kyrie fell a few feet before recovering, slowly returning to cruising altitude. "Hey, you didn't need to do that!" She yelled, recovering from the shock of being dropped.

"What have I told you, idiot? Stop announcing your sorties like an anime," Fleur said, rolling her eyes at her friend's foolishness.

"It's much more exciting than your boring 'Roger, launching' declaration," Elena replied, catching up to the Alleluia.

"What part of the word 'scramble' did you girls miss?!" Ivica yelled over the intercom. "The Secret is standing on the coral plant as we speak!"

"Ah! Sorry!" both girls yelped, immediately accelerating their machines as fast as they could go, racing to the battlefield.

* * *

Ao opened his eyes to see the creature standing above him. Instead of attacking to finish him off, however, it was twisting its head, if it could be called that, as if trying to find him. Ao took the moment to take a good look at the nightmare that had been chasing him. Up close, it was massive, at least one and a half times taller than the Nirvash. No part of its body was connected, instead forming arms that were separated from the main body, as if by an invisible rope. These pods were a sleek black, with purple inlays that outlined its fearsome shape. Its head held a diamond shape, with the purple line bisecting it in a V-shape, as looking through a visor. Without warning, the creature lifted off the coral plant, splitting its arm-pods open. Small lasers started shooting out, blasting small holes in the coral around Ao. Ao tried to move the Nirvash, but quickly saw that he was stuck, the arms of the machine were embedded in the coral. Looking back up, he saw the creature was lifting up higher, pulling its arms apart. As electricity started arcing between them, Ao realized that he could not dodge this.

"_No, it's not supposed to be like this!"_ he thought, as he gripped the controls until his knuckles turned white. Closing his eyes, he tried to think of a plan, but nothing came to mind.

"_Look to your left."_

Snapping his eyes open, he saw a slip of paper sticking out of the corner of a compartment to his left. Reaching for the latch, he opened it with trembling fingers. There was nothing inside, nothing but a picture. Ao picked up the picture, and immediately his eyes filled with tears. It was a young woman, with brown hair that appeared to be dyed, because small traces of blue were showing beneath it. She was wearing a dark blue shirt and white pants, holding a baby. Her eyes were a vibrant purple color, and her face held a smile that was undoubtedly genuine. Ao wiped his eyes dry, holding the picture close to his heart. "_I can't die here,"_ he thought, finding his resolve.

"I'm going to find you. I won't stop looking until I do. Nothing's gonna stop me. Nothing!" Ao shouted, placing the picture in his shirt pocket and grabbing the controls. "Help me, Nirvash!"

Suddenly, the creature above him exploded. Snapping his neck upward, Ao watched as bullets peppered the smoke cloud that obscured the creature. Confused, Ao watched the scene unfold before him.

* * *

"Woo-hoo, got him!" Elena yelled out, her machine landing on a chunk of coral a few meters away.

"Nice shot!" Fleur responded, holding down the triggers on her console.

"You might wanna get out of the way, ya know?" Elena warned Fleur, flipping several switches next to her armrest. The machine's legs deployed beneath it, and two support legs deployed as well, anchoring her to the coral. "I'm gonna do my best to miss you, but no promises!"

"Don't worry about me," Fleur countered, pulling back on her console to transform her machine into its humanoid form. "Watch out for the Mark I, though. We're supposed to bring it back with us."

"Don't worry, I won't hit it," Elena replied, activating her targeting software. The Secret appeared, shaken from the cannon shots that had caught it off guard. The targeting reticule clicked red, indicating a target lock. "Taste this!"

Squeezing the trigger, two pods behind the cockpit popped open, and several missiles launched from each pod, arcing across the sky as it raced towards the Secret. A couple curved off course and passed just in front of the Alleluia before curving back towards the Secret. Fleur watched as the missiles hit the Secret, blasting pieces of its arm-pods all over the area. Shrieking, the creature split apart, before being engulfed in a massive explosion. Three missiles arrived slower than the others, and, losing their primary target, fell towards the coral, detonating around the Mark I.

"I told you not to hit the Mark I!" Fleur yelled, turning to face Elena. Hearing splashes, Fleur turned back to see the Mark I rising into the air, its humanoid form unscathed from the explosions.

"I didn't hit it," Elena quipped, feeling proud of her accuracy.

Rolling her eyes, Fleur activated her intercom, addressing the gray machine in front of her. "Unidentified pilot, this is Fleur Blanc, head pilot of Team Pied Piper for the United Nations group Generation Bleu. Please direct your craft to follow me back to the Assault Carrier _Triton_."

Ao watched as the missiles impacted the creature above him. Shrieking, the monster split into several pieces before exploding in a fireball. Ao lifted up his arm to shield his eyes from the light, removing his arm only to see three missiles heading straight for him. The missiles hit just above him, blasting the coral trapping the Nirvash into the sea. Realizing he was free, Ao pushed forward on the controls, lifting the humanoid machine into the air. Before him were two more humanoid machines, one a magenta color, the other a dark blue. Suddenly, a voice rang out.

"Unidentified pilot, this is Fleur Blanc, head pilot of Team Pied Piper for the United Nations group Generation Bleu. Please direct your craft to follow me back to the Assault Carrier _Triton_."

* * *

Ao surveyed the situation. He noticed the magenta machine was closing two missile ports, and both craft were armed with high-powered cannons. "_They definitely mean business,"_ he thought. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the picture of his mother. "_Knowing them, they'll probably just take this machine as a weapon and leave me here."_ Ao placed the picture back in his pocket, careful not to wrinkle it. Looking at the canopy in front of him, Ao saw a large ship pull into the area, a blue and white craft that dwarfed the Nirvash.

'Unidentified pilot, follow us back to the Triton."

A look of determination on his face, Ao pulled back on his console, converting the Nirvash into its jet form. "_You're not taking him from me,"_ he thought, defiantly. Turning the controls, the Nirvash rocketed away from the two machines.

* * *

Fleur sat at a near hover, waiting for the gray machine in front of her to start moving towards her. She took the time to take a close look at the so-called "Mark I." It was grey and black, with green scattered in several areas. It had a head, which confused her, since all the IFO's she had seen before were without that. Its green eyes stared at her, unblinking, creeping her out. A voice jolted her from her thoughts.

"Uh, it's not moving," Elena said, her face popping up on her communications feed.

"I see that, Elena," Fleur replied, flustered. "_Who does this pilot think he is, ignoring me?_" Activating her intercom, she addressed the machine again, her voice taking a sterner tone. "Unidentified pilot, follow us back to the Triton."

Fleur deactivated her intercom as Rebecka appeared on her communications feed.

"What's the hold-up?" Rebecka inquired, looking as stern as usual.

"The pilot has not responded to my calls," Fleur responded, starting to get frustrated. "What abo-"

She was cut off by the gray machine in question transformed into a jet, which immediately took off in the opposite direction.

"Fleur, pursue the Mark I! Don't let it escape!" Rebecka exclaimed.

"On it!" Fleur yelled, pushing her console forward to convert her Alleluia into its jet form. Once complete, she took off after the fleeing machine.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Mad World

Disclaimer: I do not own Eureka Seven or Eureka Seven: AO. They are the property of Bones, Dai Sato, and everybody else involved in the project. All song titles used are the property of their respective owners. I do not make any money off of this work of fiction

* * *

Chapter 3: Mad World

"_When people run in circles, it's a very, very mad world."_

* * *

Minister Nakamura stood at the center of a conference room. Having returned from being rescued by the _Koshiki_, he had immediately been called for a status update. While not entirely unexpected, the timing of the inquiry had almost complicated matters. However, such matters were easily resolved. How could a minister of such high pedigree be susceptible of such trivial matters? At least, those were the thoughts that Nakamura had entertained. Standing at attention, he watched the three men who called the meeting entered the chamber and sat at the table before him.

"Well, Minister Nakamura, I'm glad to see you are well," the man on the right said, adjusting his chair to fit his slightly overweight body.

"Thank you, sir," Nakamura replied. "_I'm glad to see you're still as fat as ever,_" he added, but only in his mind.

"Now, to business," the man in the middle said, setting a stack of papers on the table. "I realize the Okinawan…situation has been tense for some time, but are we really justified in sending all these forces that you're requesting?" he asked, pointing at the stack of papers.

"If you had seen what I saw, you wouldn't think twice," Nakamura calmly replied. "_I'm not lying." _He thought. "_If you saw what I saw, you wouldn't think twice about laughing me out of this room."_

"Well, I still don't get how one battleship, operated by inexperienced crewmembers, could sink three of our cruisers and a destroyer. What happened, exactly?" the man on the left inquired.

"It's like I said in the report. They managed to hit the ammo decks on each ship. I, personally, chalk it up to pure, unadulterated luck, but regardless of whether it was luck, skill, or "destiny," they managed to sink all of our ships," Nakamura explained, straining to remain calm.

"Well, if that's the case, what happened to their ship? We had jets in the area, and we still don't have their report," the man in the middle continued.

"The jets flew back to base when they were finished with the Okinawan "pilots," as they so liberally called themselves. It wasn't much of a fight for them," Nakamura said, dismissively. "_Besides,"_ he thought, "_I've already made sure they didn't see anything. Good thing Commander Tsukoshi likes Okinawan mangos, or I'd never pull this off."_

"So, let me get this straight. Our fighter craft came in and routed their air forces, yet once they left, their ship wiped out our detachment?" the man on the right asked, skeptically.

"That's exactly what happened," Nakamura said, bowing his head in apparent shame. "Captain Hiyozaki was careless. He thought the Okinawan battleship would have been easy for our crewmen to handle. If only he had acted decisively, he would be standing here giving this report, not me."

The men at the table muttered amongst themselves, before turning to address Nakamura.

"It's a shame. I was sure Hiyozaki was a good Captain," the man on the left stated, solemnly.

"To be sure, he was," Nakamura said, raising his head to look at the trio. "He just made one mistake that turned out to be his last. Many a good man has done that throughout time."

"This is true," the man in the middle concurred. "After having seen what the Okinawans are capable of, what do you suggest, Nakamura?"

"We need to stop toying with the Okinawans and reclaim the island in the name of Japan," Nakamura stated, boldly. "Our former leaders thought it best to grant them autonomy, thinking it would gain us a favorable position in the world's eyes. But look at what's happened. The world focuses on the squabbling of the Allies and the Soviets, and the Okinawans wish to become independent. A friendly gesture, granted it held personal gain, but a gesture of respect on our part, and they spit in our faces."

"These are strong accusations, Nakamura," the man on the right countered, straining in his seat. "If we attack Okinawa, we'll be cast in a negative light for sure."

"Yes, we will," Nakamura agreed, placing his hands behind his back. "That's why I'm willing to take full responsibility."

"You can't be serious!" the man on the left interjected. "You have the gall to come in here, tell a ludicrous story about our navy being utterly humiliated by a derelict battleship, and then suggest an invasion, with yourself as the head general?!"

"Yes, I am suggesting such a move," Nakamura stated, calmly, looking at the flustered man. "Japan is a world power, should be, a world power, but is constantly overlooked by the rest of the world. If we were to gain control of Okinawa, not only would we be reclaiming sovereign territory, but we would also get not one, but two, active Scub Coral plants."

"There's a second plant?!" the man in the middle exclaimed.

"Yes, that is what this mess started over," Nakamura explained. "If we were to claim both plants, not only would our economy recover, but it would also give us more international prestige. The world would no longer be able to ignore Japan!"

"Why did you leave this out of your report?" the man on the right questioned, looking none too pleased.

"_If I had, you would know what I was up to, you stupid fool,"_ Nakamura thought. "I was in a rush to complete this report in a timely manner. I left it out in my negligence. My sincerest apologies," Nakamura said, once more bowing himself to the floor in apparent shame.

"Given the circumstances, I can understand that," the man in the middle said, nodding his head. "Don't let it happen again, though."

"It will never happen again," Nakamura asserted, clenching his fists.

The three men huddled together, discussing amongst themselves, while Nakamura stood, unmovable. "_That's right, debate about it. Try denying the glory Japan deserves. What I deserve,"_ he thought. Finally, the men turned back to face him.

"After deliberation, we have decided to decline your request," the man in the middle announced, serving as the spokesman. "You have underestimated the Okinawans once, and it led to the deaths of Captain Hiyozaki and over one hundred of our sailors. If you are wrong ab-"

"I'm not wrong!" Nakamura exclaimed, a look of shock across his face.

"IF you are wrong about the Okinawan strength, then the defeat we would receive would be an embarrassment we would not be able to recover from," the man in the middle continued, ignoring the interruption. "Surely you haven't forgotten that the Chinese are supporting the Okinawans in their independence bid?"

"The Chinese are too busy dealing with Soviet encroachment to help a tiny island!" Nakamura yelled, unable to contain his frustration anymore.

"Considering they possess two active coral plants, I'm sure they would notice," the man in the middle said, standing from his chair. "Your request to lead an invasion has been denied. Good day, Minister Nakamura."

The three men stood and exited the room. Nakamura removed his cap and threw it across the room in a fit of rage. "_No, this is impossible!"_ he thought, seething. "_My plan was foolproof!"_ He walked over to his cap and picked it up, dusting it off and replacing it on his head. "_No matter. I know enough people to get a small task force together. I'll show them. I'll show them all!_"

* * *

**Earlier…**

Ao yanked the Nirvash into a tight turn, slaloming between the mountains in front of him. He had quickly realized that escaping the blue IFO that tried to take him in was a far harder task than he had anticipated. The blue machine matched his every turn and dive with impeccable precision, as if the pilot was mirroring his movements. The strain of the previous battle was starting to wear on him as well, and as his left wing nearly clipped a low-lying tree, he knew that he had to end the chase in a hurry. Surveying the earth in front of him, he noticed a familiar outcropping. "_That's it!"_ he thought, looking at the sheer cliffs that overlooked the sea. "_If I can pull it off, I could move into the caves on the other side of that ridge!"_Ao took a deep breath and, after clutching the photo in his pocket for luck, placed both hands on the steering controls.

* * *

Fleur followed the gray machine in front of her, clinging to its every move. She had been trailing it for a while now, and every minute that went by without stopping it was making her angrier. Fleur took pride in her abilities as an IFO pilot, and the thought that an amateur could out-fly her was unthinkable. Granted, the amateur was flying the very IFO that served to create her own, but that should not be an excuse. As she leveled off behind the machine, her intercom chirped open, and Rebecka's face popped up on the screen.

"Fleur, status report," she said, a slight hint of frustration in her voice.

"I don't get it!" she yelled. "I've been trailing this stupid thing all over the region, and it still won't slow down!"

"You're gonna have to step it up," Rebecka responded, rubbing her eyes. "Since the Secret's been destroyed, we have a small window to extract the Quartz before another one shows up. Elena's started the extraction process, but she can't do it by herself."

"What exactly am I supposed to do?" she asked, perturbed. "I can't fire on it without damaging it, and the pilot won't respond to my attempts at contact."

"Fire warning shots, but take care not to hit it," Ivica said, a second screen appearing next to Rebecka's. "Perhaps showing the pilot that your patience has reached its end will convince whoever is behind the controls to end this."

"Yes, sir," Fleur responded, flipping the switches on the triggers into position. Aiming just to the right of the craft, she prepared to fire her warning shots.

That is, until the gray machine plummeted in a nosedive.

* * *

Ao turned and pulled on the steering controls, banking the Nirvash into a steep reverse dive. The cliffs in front of him jutted out at weird intervals, forming gaps that were a result of the tides carving into the rock. Having explored the area in his FP one day, he knew that there would be an especially narrow gap he might be able to fit his machine through. Remembering the layout, he knew that there were two other rock formations nearby. If he could make the tight turns required, he would be able to get some breathing room from the blue machine. There was a deep cave not far from where he would exit, which would be the best place to hide. As he approached the rock wall, he saw the gap he would aim for. All was going just as he needed it to, when suddenly he heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire. Ao saw the tracers pass over his machine, instead hitting the rocks above the gap. As the rocks began to collapse, Ao pushed the accelerator to the floor, hoping he could still make it.

* * *

Fleur grabbed the controls and angled the Alleluia into a steep dive, following the gray machine. Seeing the rocks jutting out of the sea, she realized his plan immediately. "_You think I haven't trained for tight maneuvers?!"_ she thought. However, her hands were holding the top of the controls, and, as she leveled off, her palms depressed the triggers. As bullets sprayed towards the machine, she noticed two things. First, she was shooting high. She breathed a sigh of relief at that realization, as she would not hit the machine after all. However, she then saw the second part of her dilemma. The bullets were striking the rock formation above the gap, and the crumbling boulders could do just as much damage as bullets. As the rock wall broke away, she yanked upward on the controls, forcing herself to fly over the cliff maze. "_I'll just meet it on the other side,"_ she reasoned. "_That pilot will have no choice but to stop."_

* * *

Ao saw the blue machine fly over him, and immediately could not help but smile. "_This is my chance!"_ he thought. Ducking under the falling boulders, he yanked the controls to the right, narrowly missing the edge of the cliff. As he rounded the turn, he immediately twisted the controls back to the left, and the machine obliged him, turning seamlessly and avoiding the overhanging rocks. As he pulled through the turn, he saw the cave ahead of him. Lowering the Nirvash to just above the water, he pulled back on the console, transitioning into his humanoid form. Wishing to avoid emitting the green trail that would betray him, he grabbed the board before it could activate, and instead landed in the water, which came up to the Nirvash's thighs. Ao strained against his restraints, as the sudden stop propelled him forward in his seat. After recovering from the shock of the sudden landing, he slowly began entering the dark recesses of the cave. Since the waves crashed against the cave mouth, the disturbance he made in the water seamlessly blended in with the wake of the waves, hiding him perfectly. Looking back, he waited to make sure that the blue machine did not catch onto his ruse. Satisfied that he was safe, he advanced further into the cave.

* * *

Fleur waited on the other side of the cliff maze, waiting for the gray machine to emerge from the exit. She noticed the lack of smoke, indicating that the pilot had not crashed. "_Take your time,"_ she muttered, with a smug look on her face. "_There's only one way out, and it's with me._" However, as time went on, she began to suspect something was up. Transitioning the Alleluia to its human form, she entered the maze, intending to find the gray machine that had been vexing her. Rounding the corner, she saw the rocks split into two possible pathways. The first one led to a cave, while the other one led back to the surface of the island. Furious at failing to catch the pilot, Fleur failed to notice that her communicator had activated again. A loud yell finally snapped her out of her rage.

"Fleur, pay attention!" the voice yelled.

"What?!" Fleur yelled back, turning to see who had called her. The familiar form of Rebecka displayed itself, looking none too pleased.

"We are being denied permission to land on Okinawan soil," Rebecka reiterated, a tic developing on her left eye. "As such, we are landing the _Triton_ just off shore. Have you captured the Mark I yet?"

"No ma'am," Fleur responded, growling out the words.

"Well, time is up. We need you back here with Elena to finish extracting the Quartz. I'll report back to HQ to let them know we weren't able to capture it," Rebecka stated.

"No, I'm not giving up!" Fleur yelled. "The pilot couldn't have gotten far!"

"Fleur, that's an order!" Rebecka yelled back.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be right there," Fleur said, dismissively. Turning off her communicator, she directed the Alleluia towards the island. "_If I have to return, I'll survey the island, then._"

As the Alleluia flew over the cliff edges, she was greeted by a sobering sight. Beneath her, the ground was scorched, burned from the Secret's beam of light attack. As she flew over the island, she could not help but notice that several homes were destroyed. Shaking her head to remove those thoughts, she flew onward, surveying for that gray machine that had so effectively eluded her.

* * *

Ao emerged from the cave a mile from its entrance. After waiting for a good forty minutes to make sure he had eluded his pursuer, he had hidden the Nirvash in a niche carved into the cavern walls. The dim lighting, combined with the Nirvash's muted colors, hid the machine perfectly. Seeing the shaft of light that indicated a break in the Earth, Ao marched towards the light, trying to get back home. This goal was shattered the moment he saw the mutilated landscape. The land around him was unrecognizable, with small fires burning all around him. Shocked by the devastation, Ao staggered towards the road, attempting to get an idea of where he was. Reaching the road, he noticed a gas station burning a few yards away. It was at this moment he realized where he was. Feeling ill, he turned and vomited into the ditch beside the road, emptying his stomach. "_Naru lives near here,_" he thought, a wave of worry crashing into his mind. Finally getting his bearings, he turned and began running down the road towards Naru's house, oblivious to the nausea that still welled within him. He passed by an overturned truck, blood and gasoline mixing on the ground around it. Closing his eyes, he pushed onward, trying to get to his childhood friend.

* * *

Naru stood at the side of the road, watching the rest of her destroyed house burn. When the flash of light that heralded the arrival of the G-Monster occurred, her father had had the S.D.F. dispatch a car to get her, her grandmother, and her little sister away from the house and towards a safe zone that he had personally constructed. After hearing the creature had been destroyed, Naru had left her sister and grandmother at the bunker to go back and see if the house was still standing, only to find it reduced to rubble and kindling. The smoke had caused her to suffer a brief, albeit intense, coughing fit, and, having recovered, she stood and watched as the rest of what was left of her childhood home vanished in the conflagration before her. As the last of the house was consumed, she turned to find Ao standing behind her. She could see the tears shimmering against the light of the dying fire, and he was trembling violently. Reaching out to him, she failed to see his feet giving way beneath him, as he crumpled in a heap at her feet.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, facing the ground.

"Ao! Are you okay?!" Naru reacted, kneeling to face the boy in front of her.

"I'm so sorry, Naru!" Ao yelled, forcing himself not to look up at her. "I did this. I brought that monster over here. I didn't mean to, Naru, believe me. I didn't mean to!"

"_Ao…_" Naru thought, looking at her distraught friend. Reaching out, she took him by the arm. Snapped from his reverie, Ao looked up at Naru. She had changed from her school uniform into a white jacket vest with orange trim, which cut off at her waist, and a pair of jean shorts of the same color. The dying flames accentuated her appearance, and Ao began to notice that his childhood friend, the girl who had been with him since his mother vanished, the girl who stuck with him through thick and thin, was beautiful. Taking her by the hand, they both stood back up and, turning towards the road, began to walk away from the remains of Naru's former home. Ao wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his uniform.

"If you don't mind, I need to run back to Grampa's," Ao said, turning to face Naru. "I want to get out of this uniform, and I need to see if he's back from the hospital."

"It's no problem. It's not like I have anywhere to go," Naru chuckled, then falling silent after she realized the weight of her words. Continuing on in silence, Naru noticed that Ao had not let go of her hand. This left her with a conflicting series of emotions. She was happy that he had taken her hand. After all, it was the first indication of any sort of deeper feeling that he might have for her. At the same time, however, she felt angry. Angry that he had a hand in destroying her home; angry that such creatures did this kind of damage everywhere; angry that she could do nothing about it. The chaotic scenes around them began to fade away, leaving the surrounding countryside just as it was when they went to school that morning, unblemished by destruction and despair. Ao could see his house just up the road, untouched by the creature's attack. Rounding the corner, he could see the lights were still off, indicating that Toshio had yet to return from the clinic. "_It must have been bad,_" he thought. Reaching into his pocket, he felt a tug on his left hand. Looking down, he saw that he was still hold Naru's hand. Blushing, he looked up at her, then let go of her hand, turning quickly to busy himself with the door lock. Naru chuckled at this, watching Ao fumble with the door. Opening the door, Ao maneuvered through the kitchen towards his room, familiar with the layout of the house. Naru, however, was not as familiar, and a dull thud behind him reminded Ao of this. Turning on the lights, Ao could not help but chuckle at the sight before him: Naru hopping on one foot, nursing the stubbed toe that created the thud. Pulling up a chair, Ao directed Naru to sit down, which she did gratefully.

"Give me a second, I'll be right back," Ao told her, vanishing down the hallway towards his room. As he entered his room, he remembered the photo in his shirt pocket. Returning to the kitchen, he handed Naru the photo. "Look what I found!" Ao gasped, the excitement in his voice palpable.

"Woah!" Naru exclaimed, tenderly holding the photo in her hands, as if cradling a priceless treasure. "This is your mother?"

"Yeah," Ao breathed. "I still can't believe I found it."

"Where'd you find it?" Naru asked, not looking up from the picture.

"You won't believe me," Ao muttered, turning down the hallway.

"Tell me, darn it!" Naru yelled, getting up to follow Ao down the hallway. She rounded the corner to his room, only to see him peel the shirt off his back. Blushing profusely, she turned around and waited outside the door, waiting for him to finish changing. Ao emerged a few seconds later, wearing a blue zipper jacket and dark blue shorts.

"I'll tell you on the way," Ao said, walking towards the kitchen.

"On the way where?!" Naru yelled after him, hurrying to catch up.

"Just trust me!" Ao yelled back, already out the door.

Naru caught up to Ao and, as they turned down the road, Naru listened intently as Ao recapped everything that had happened after he had dropped her off at her house, from joining Gazelle to look for more things tied to his mother, to the battle between him and the G-Monster, all the way to the chase with the enemy pilot. All the while, Ao described the machine he had found, how it was like a humanoid robot, and how it had the picture of his mother inside. Naru could see the determination in his face as he told her about how the other people who showed up after destroying the monster wanted him to go with them, and how he was not giving them the machine, which served as his only connection to his mother. During the telling of this story, Ao and Naru walked across the countryside, illuminated by the setting sun. Reaching the destroyed gas station, the flames having burned up the rest of the fuel and subsequently dying out, Ao took Naru across the field beside it, reaching the entrance to the cave where he had hid the Nirvash. Taking the pathway he had found, they soon reached the niche where the machine was hidden. Naru was taken aback by its size, whereas Ao could not help but feel that the eyes of the machine, a vibrant green, were fixed upon him. As the sun sank into the ocean, the light reached inside the cave, illuminating the cavern and its occupants. Realizing the tide would soon rise and potentially trap them there, Ao and Naru turned to leave the cave, leaving the machine as its lone occupant.

* * *

Rebecka sat at her post, eyes closed in frustration. Not only had they failed to recover the Mark I, but Fleur had also not returned from her pursuit. Her absence was casting a pall on the situation, as both the Alleluia and the Kyrie were needed in order to completely deactivate the coral plant and thus prevent the arrival of another Secret. Rebecka had learned early on that, after destroying a Secret, IFO pilots had between three and six hours to deactivate a coral plant before a second Secret would arrive to finish the job the first Secret failed to do. Since they had destroyed the first one, over two hours had elapsed. Irritated, she raised the communications screen and hailed the Alleluia.

"Fleur, report! Where are you?!" Rebecka barked, her anger coming to a boiling point.

"On my way back," Fleur quipped, frustrated at Rebecka's incessant communiqués.

"Don't get short with me," Rebecka growled. "Just because you're the President's daughter doesn't mean you can disregard the chain of command."

"Yeah, I know," Fleur yelled back. "Anything else you want to remind me about, Miss Hallström? What about how I failed to capture the Mark I, hm? Or maybe how I need to hurry back to help Elena?!"

"You're too high-strung, girl," Elena's face popped up on the communication screen. "You need to learn to lighten up. The IFO you were trying to catch is supposedly the first IFO ever, after all. If you could catch that thing, than it was a pretty crappy machine."

"That's not the point!" Fleur snapped, turning to face Elena's face. "As the face of Team Pied Piper, I cannot be made a fool of! That pilot managed to evade one of the best pilots in the world, and I'm supposed to take that lightly?!"

"Pride goes before destruction," Rebecka muttered, halfway under her breath.

Fleur growled at Rebecka's remark. "By the way, where's Chief?"

"He went ashore. Said that there was someone there who might have answers regarding the Mark I," Rebecka responded. "Elena, how much Quartz remains in the plant?"

"I've nearly filled the Kyrie to capacity," Elena responded, looking rather bored. "All I need is Fleur to finish up, and we can get back to HQ. Might make it in time to see my show."

"You record all your shows, anyway," Fleur groaned, wondering if all Elena thought about was her shows.

"Watching a recording is not the same as watching it live, Fleur," Elena responded, looking shocked at her friend's dismissal. "Besides, I don't want it to be spoiled for me."

"Then don't get on your tablet after it airs," Fleur countered. "Don't they record those shows anyway? I mean, it's not like they can go live in an animated world."

"You just don't understand the complexities of anime," Elena dismissively replied.

"Just hurry back here," Rebecka ordered, closing off communication between her and the two pilots. "_This better be worth it, Ivica,_" she thought, returning her attention to the computer in front of her.

* * *

Toshio drove down the dirt road that would take him back to his house, his mind whirling. The number of causalities at the clinic was staggering, and Ao had failed to let him know if he was okay. Ever since his mother had left, he had been the guardian of that boy, and he could not bear to let her down, even if she was still absent after ten years. Reaching the driveway, Toshio was surprised to see a rather tall man sitting on his front steps, absently kicking a soccer ball between his feet. Parking his truck, Toshio took the military issue pistol from his glove compartment and, after checking to make sure the safety was off, slid it into the back of his pants and exited the truck. The man stood up, making Toshio even more uneasy.

"Mr. Fukai," the man replied, straightening his moustache. "I'm sorry to intrude after a busy day."

"What's this all about?!" Toshio barked, still relatively uneasy.

"I wanted to talk to you about a former guest you used to entertain," the man replied, leaning back to pop his back.

"She's been gone for years," Toshio growled, his hand near his gun. "Why do you want to talk about her?"

"We received a call to deal with the Secret that appeared offshore, an-" the man began, only to be interrupted.

"Secret? Is that what you call those monsters?" Toshio inquired, fixing his cold gaze on the man in front of him. "Who are you, anyway? I don't take kindly to strangers showing up unannounced and asking questions."

"Ah yes, how rude of me. My name is Ivica Tanović, captain of the Gènèration Bleu vessel _Triton_," the man replied, towering over Toshio.

"Gènèration Bleu, huh?" Toshio quipped, still leaving his hand on his back. "I remember you people. Ten years ago, one of your lot came to take her away the moment they found out she was here. He had just missed her. She went with the Allies, and that's the last I've seen of her. Sorry, I don't think I can help you."

"I know she's been gone," Ivica responded, attempting to keep Toshio from killing the conversation. "However, as I was saying, when we arrived to deal with the…creature, we saw this." Ivica reached into his pocket and pulled out two satellite photos of a gray machine, emerging from a giant plant just off the coast. "She was the pilot of this machine."

"_Has she finally returned?!_" Toshio thought, perusing the photos handed to him. "I never saw this machine in person, but if she's tied to it, there's a reason it's here."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Ivica said, putting his hands in his pockets. "We attempted to make contact with the pilot of this machine, but whoever was inside decided to retreat from us. We also know that she hasn't been seen in years, so we're trying to figure out if her son might have ta-" Ivica attempted to explain, only to see a gun pointed at him.

* * *

Ao and Naru walked side-by-side down the dirt road that lead to the cave. After returning to the surface, they had each retreated to the safety of their thoughts, and although they kept pace with each other as they walked, their minds raced. Ao wondered what he was going to do with that machine. The Nirvash was clearly something that was tied in with his mother, and he knew that, with it, he might be able to find her. The question was where he was supposed to start. He knew she was no longer with the island; Toshio had told him that she had gone with some men who wanted her help and that she had not returned, but other than that, he had no clue where she could be. Another issue was whether he _could_ leave. On the one hand, he did not know what the machine used as fuel, so leaving on a potentially limited fuel source was an issue. On the other hand, he had lived here his entire life. Could he just up and leave? What about Naru? She was as close a friend to him as anything. How would she cope with him leaving? What about Toshio? He couldn't just leave him alone. All of these thoughts raced through Ao's mind, distracting him from the car approaching behind him. A slamming door jarred him from these thoughts, and before he could turn around, something heavy smacked against his back, knocking him to the ground. Someone grabbed him by the arms, roughly jerking him to his knees, as he heard Naru scream. Turning to see if she was okay, the man holding him smacked the back of his head, as a second man walked up to him, holding a black bag. The last thing he saw before the bag was placed over his face was Naru's face, then all went black.

* * *

Naru wondered about what would happen next. Ao showing her the machine was huge; it was a sign of trust from the boy beside her, and the fact that he trusted her enough to share things that were directly related to his mother affected her deeply. At the same time, she worried. Ao had the chance to find his mother now. Would he leave her and the rest of the island behind? Naru debated whether or not to broach the subject, but decided against it. The sun was nearly beneath the horizon, and she could tell that he was tired from his run-in with the monster and the machines after him. Snapped from her reverie, she heard a car pulling up behind her. Turning to see who it was, she got a good look at the vehicle. It was a car, black, with heavily tinted windows and dim yellow headlights. As it came to a halt, the passenger side backseat door opened, and a tall man emerged, carrying a two-by-four plank of wood. Briskly walking up behind Ao, the man took a step and swung the beam, striking the boy between the shoulder blades. Naru screamed in surprise as a second man emerged from the driver seat of the car and, taking a black canvas bag, pulled it over Ao's head. Realizing what was happening, Naru attempted to grab one of the kidnappers, but the man merely shook her off, knocking her to the ground. As she struggled to get up, the passenger side front window rolled down, revealing the face of Mr. Kouzawa.

"Mr. Kouzawa! What is this?!" Naru exclaimed, shocked at his rough treatment of Ao.

"Sorry, Naru," Mr. Kouzawa muttered, gruffly. "After that display earlier, that…monster needs to face the consequences for his actions."

"He's not a monster! Stop this!" Naru cried, staggering forward towards the open window.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Mr. Kouzawa growled, rolling up the window.

Naru watched in horror as the men, having tossed Ao in the trunk of the car, re-entered the car. The driver shifted into reverse and, having turned around, began to drive away. Naru, trembling, knew what she had to do. Clutching her chest, she began to run after the car.

* * *

"You leave Ao out of this," Toshio stated, pointing his pistol at the man before him. "People came and took his mother away, and now you're here to take him too."

"I won't lie to you," Ivica calmly began, unfazed by the gun being pointed at him. "We want to talk to him. We have no intention of taking him away from here."

"Lies!" Toshio exclaimed. "If he's the only one who can pilot the machine, then you have no choice but to take him. He's only a child. Headstrong and independent, sure, but a child nonetheless. You have no idea what he's been through; all the people here shun him as if he is the plague! It's no fault of his own that his mother is who she is, yet the people here think he chose to be himself."

"Forgive my saying so," Ivica began, cautiously. "But if he's hated by everyone here, why do you object to us taking him?"

"Because he wouldn't have a say in the matter," Toshio stressed. "If you wish to talk to him, then I'm gonna be there. If, after your _chat_, he decides to leave, then I will have no objections. He hasn't had a choice in anything major his entire life, so at least give him a choice in this."

"Very well," Ivica stated, nodding his head. "Now, could you please put the gun away?"

Toshio, satisfied that he would get his wish, walked back to his truck and placed the gun in his glove compartment. Closing the door, he noticed a craft similar to Ao's FP sitting behind his house. This FP was rather large, with the skids serving as the landing struts. It was red and white, sporting the Gènèration Bleu logo on the back, and Toshio could not help but wonder why this company, with all its technology and manpower, was unable to track down one woman. Curious, he turned towards Ivica, who was cleaning his glasses.

"Tell me something. What happened to her?" Toshio inquired, no longer speaking with a hostile tone.

"I honestly don't know," Ivica said, startled by the sudden question. "After the Scub Burst shook Okinawa, I was dispatched to the scene to find any trace of what might have happened. Unfortunately, nothing was there."

"So it's possible that she may be dead and gone?" Toshio guessed, looking at the sunset.

"We don't think so," Ivica responded, also looking at the sunset. "If she was dead, the machine probably wouldn't have activated, since it was integrated with Eureka. That's part of the reason why we want to talk to Ao. If he activated the machine, which he might not have, but if he did, we want to gauge the possibility of her maybe being alive."

"You keep saying 'we'," Toshio noted, turning to face Ivica.

"Yes. I do speak on behalf of the company President in this matter," Ivica responded.

"Why does he have such a vested interest?" Toshio asked, suspicious.

"The information she holds about this machine is invaluable," Ivica replied, placing his glasses back on his face. "All of the IFO's in existence are based off of this one. If we could talk to her, we could unlock all of the Mark I's secrets."

"So, she's nothing but an information source to you people," Toshio muttered. "What a life."

Ivica did not respond to Toshio's musings. Instead, he buried himself in his thoughts, watching as the rest of the sun disappeared beneath the horizon.

* * *

Naru's lungs burned. She had been trying to keep up with the car as it had sped away, but it was hard going. Reaching the top of a nearby hill, she strained her vision in an effort to see where the car had disappeared to. The sun had set beneath the horizon, and the darkness threatened to hide the car from her vision. A pang of terror shot through her at this thought, as she knew that, if she failed, he would more than likely never been seen again. Luckily, she found the car up ahead, turning into a small grove of trees. When the car failed to emerge from the other side, Naru knew where they were keeping Ao. Turning to get help, Naru wondered who to go to. The police would not help her, as they would be dealing with the Japanese attack, and most of the people on the island would be glad he was gone. As she thought, a lone vehicle streaked across the ground. Turning towards it, Naru realized who to go to. As she waved it down, she saw that it was an FP. Immediately, her spirits brightened.

* * *

Gazelle was agitated. Having fled from the G-Monster's arrival, he and his friends had returned to the city to help coordinate evacuation routes in case the creature decided to attack the town or worse, fuse with the coral plant in a repeat of the Burst ten years prior. Having heard that the creature had been destroyed, Gazelle had immediately taken off to find Ao, dragging his friends in tow. As they travelled across the islands, they were alarmed to find no trace of their friend or his machine and, as the sun descended, they mounted one last desperate search for the boy. As the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, Gazelle decided, begrudgingly, to call off the search, since they would be unable to find him in the dark. Hoping that he was at Toshio's, Gazelle turned his FP to go by and check there, when he saw someone waving him down. Turning the lights brighter, he saw it was Naru, and she was frantic. Pulling alongside her, Han opened the door for her to get in.

"What's wrong?" Han asked, holding out his hand for her to get in.

"Mr. Kouzawa…took Ao…need to get…help…," Naru choked out, her lungs searing within her.

"What?!" Gazelle yelled, turning to look at Naru.

"Gazelle, get us to Toshio's. She doesn't look so good," Han ordered, watching worriedly as Naru began to tremble violently.

"On it. Hold on!" Gazelle yelled, flooring the accelerator. The FP launched forward as fast as it could go. Han held onto Naru, who was trying to use her inhaler to stabilize the trembling in her lungs.

* * *

Ao woke up to the sounds of grunting and scuffling of shoes. Opening his eyes, he was greeted with an all-encompassing shade of black, which reminded him of his current situation. Jostling back and forth between the two men dragging him, the boy tried to wrench himself free, only for the men to readjust their grips on his arms, and continue dragging him along. "_Did they grab Naru too?" _Ao wondered, ceasing his thrashings against the strangers. A metal creaking punctuated the hallway he was in, and before he could prepare, Ao was thrown to the ground, with the door slamming shut behind him. Feeling the bag around his head moving, Ao closed his eyes, preparing for the worst. The canvas bag lifted off of his head, and Ao ventured a gaze, to assess the situation. He was in a dimly light room, with a bare-bulb lamp on a desk in the corner serving as the lone source of light. A ceiling fan, tarnished with rust from the humidity, creaked above his head as it slowly rotated. The smell of alcohol permeated the room, causing Ao's nose to scrunch up at its displeasing stench. Sitting at the desk, a man sat, turned away from Ao, writing, as evidenced by the motions of his arm and the scratching of a pen.

"Ten years ago, a Scub Coral plant appeared just off the coast of the main island of Okinawa. A G-Monster fused with it, destroying the plant, as well as killing thousands of people. Ten years later, today, in fact, a second G-Monster appeared, this time off of the coast of this island. These islands were never bothered by Scub Coral or G-Monsters for my entire life. That is, until you and your mother showed up."

The man turned around in his chair, revealing to Ao the identity of his kidnapper.

"Mr. Kouzawa! I should have figured you would be the one behind this. Where's Naru?!"

"She is probably on her way home. I have no issue with her. You, on the other hand, have given me great issue over the past ten years," the man stated, as if lecturing a pupil.

"This is ridiculous," Ao stated, moving to stand up. "I have done absolutely nothing to you."

"Sit and listen," the man growled, standing over Ao. "Sit and listen. For the last five years, I've had to put up with you in my classroom, and I've never been able to truly speak my mind. I wholeheartedly believe that you and your mother are the cause of what's happened to this island. There's just no way to explain it otherwise. Now, you've quite possibly dragged this entire island into war."

"This is absurd!" Ao yelled, trying to move his hands, only to feel the burn of a rope against his wrists. "How could I possibly attract Japanese ships, coral plants, G-Monsters, any of that?! I'm just a kid! Sure, my eyes are different, and I may not look like the other islanders, but I was born here!"

"You may have been born here, but you are not from here," Kouzawa stated, turning to face the desk. "Your mother fell from the sky into the bay roughly thirteen years ago. I know. I was there."

Ao gasped in shock. He had never known that about his mother. Looking down at himself, Ao wondered if anything about what he had been told about his origins was true. Looking up, he noticed Kouzawa was looking at him, a knowing smirk on his face.

"You didn't know that, did you?" he asked, looking at the boy. As Ao shook his head, affirming Kouzawa's question, Kouzawa pulled the chair closer to him and sat down.

"Well, I guess it's time you learned the truth."

* * *

Ivica stared at the image of Rebecka on his communicator. She had contacted him to reveal that Fleur, due to continuing to scour the islands in search of the Mark I, had yet to return to the coral plant, and thus the Quartz extraction was not yet complete. Rebecka also noted that the threshold for another Secret arriving was soon to be crossed, and that they were in a bind. Ivica updated Rebecka on how he had made contact with Eureka's son's guardian, but the boy was not there. Assuming he had hidden the Mark I, he was going to talk to the boy whenever he arrived home, and, if the boy agreed, would bring both him and the Mark I back to HQ. Just as the call concluded, an FP darted into the yard, parking just feet in front of both Ivica and Toshio. The door opened to reveal a young girl, coughing, who immediately collapsed to the ground.

"Naru!" Toshio yelled, rushing to pick up the girl. "What happened? Where's Ao?!"

"Ao…taken," Naru wheezed, trying to breathe. "Kouzawa…got him."

"Where?!" Toshio asked, picking up the weakened girl.

"Over by the cape," Gazelle interjected. "She followed the car that took Ao in order to see where they were taking him. They are by the orchard."

"Figures Kouzawa would take today as an excuse to punish Ao," Toshio muttered, as he took Naru indoors. Ivica looked at the man who had just broke the news.

"I'll help you get him," he stated.

"Hold on, buddy," Gazelle glanced over at the stranger who just offered his services. "Who are you, anyway?"

"We don't have time for this!" the man replied, his eyes blazing at the young man's impetuousness.

"I don't know who you are," Gazelle continued, matching the man's gaze. "And I'm not about to charge into wherever Ao's being kept with a total stranger."

"Gazelle, we really need to go! There's no telling what Kouzawa's gonna do to Ao." Han groaned in frustration.

"No! He's not coming along until he tells me who he is," Gazelle turned to his friend, then back to the man.

"My name's Ivica, and I work for a company that has an interest in Ao," Ivica stated, shifting his feet in obvious frustration.

"Why?" Gazelle pried, staring at Ivica skeptically.

"I'll explain later. Lead the way," Ivica ordered to Han, who was walking around the FP.

"Alright, follow along. We'll lead you there," Han yelled, climbing into the driver's seat.

Ivica ran to his FP, activating it via wireless remote. As it rose off the ground, he activated his communicator, hailing Fleur.

"Chief!" Fleur yelped, surprised by him calling her. "I was almost back at the plant."

"Scratch that, I need you to meet me at my location," Ivica ordered, flipping a switch on the dashboard in front of him, activating a transponder which appeared on Fleur's radar screen. "We might have found the pilot of the Mark I."

Fleur gasped, considering the possibility of meeting the first pilot to out-fly her. "I'll be right there," she announced, turning the Alleluia to rendezvous with Ivica.

Closing off communications, Ivica pulled alongside the FP that brought the men and girl. "Lead the way," Ivica commanded. Nodding, Han accelerated the FP, taking off down the road. Ivica followed closely behind. "_After all these years, a link to her has finally appeared_," he thought. "_I will not let this be taken from me_."

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED…


	4. Paint It Black

Disclaimer: I do not own Eureka Seven or Eureka Seven: AO. They are the property of Bones, Dai Sato, and everybody else involved in the project. All song titles used are the property of their respective owners. I do not make any money off of this work of fiction

* * *

Chapter 4: Paint It Black

"_I look inside myself and see my heart is black._"

* * *

**PRESENT…**

Ao slammed against the floor, breathing heavily. The two goons in front of him had been beating him for several minutes now, and with every impact of their punches or kicks, Ao found himself becoming numb. After hearing Kouzawa's story, the man had left Ao alone with his thoughts; that is, until these two showed up. First, they harassed Ao, teasing and mocking him about how he was different from everyone else, and how everything was his fault. Considering Ao had heard this speech from Kouzawa numerous times, he provided no satisfaction to the two young men, hardly a couple years older than him, judging by their looks. One was a rather short boy, probably a son of one of Kouzawa's associates, with a slightly overweight build and a short temper. The other was the elder of the two, with a lanky build and a face only a mother could love. Both of the boys, frustrated with the lack of a reaction from their captive, began to beat Ao. They alternated punching and kicking Ao, thrashing him all over the room, all the while being careful to avoid Kouzawa's desk. At first, Ao tried to fight back, but having his hands tied did little to help him. Then, he tried deflecting the blows, but the two boys began to attack at irregular intervals, preventing him from escaping the barrage of fists and feet. After a while, Ao no longer had it in him to try to dissuade his assailants, and fell silent. Bruises began to develop all over his body. His eyes were blackened, his nose was bloody, and everything hurt.

A loud clattering sound issued from the other side of the door. Immediately, the two boys ceased their beating, and ran to the door to open it. Kouzawa emerged from the other side, making his way over to his desk, undisturbed since he last left it. A glass of some dark liquid Ao assumed was alcoholic in nature was in Kouzawa's left hand, and as the man sat down, he set the glass on the desk, taking care to place it on a coaster. "_He treats that desk better than he treats me or himself,_" Ao thought, breathing raggedly.

"Leave us," Kouzawa commanded the two youth, who hurriedly left the room, closing the heavy door behind them. Kouzawa resumed writing, the scratching of the pen on paper the only sound in the room besides Ao's breathing and the creak of the ceiling fan. "So sorry about that."

"Whatever," Ao growled, drops of blood leaving his nose to fall to the floor. "You've wanted to do that to me for years."

"Perhaps," the man replied, continuing to write. "But it doesn't matter now. It fits into our plan quite well."

"What do you mean by 'our plan'?" Ao questioned, slowly regaining his composure. "What is going on, anyway?"

"There was a naval battle today on the north shore of the island," Kouzawa explained. "The Japanese were trying to take over sovereign Okinawan territory. Since this island is not considered the most important of the Okinawan archipelago, several men on this island, myself included, formed a militia, as it were. We serve as the enforcers of the island."

"What do you enforce?" Ao inquired. "Nothing ever happens here."

"On the contrary, there is a lot that occurs behind the scenes," Kouzawa countered. "For starters, Okinawa is not an independent state. We are an "autonomous confederation," according to the Japanese. They granted us autonomy years ago, but we are not free."

"I don't see how that matters," Ao stated, puzzled. "Japan doesn't have anything to do with us."

"First off, there is no 'us,'" Kouzawa stated, slamming his pen down on the desk. "You are not a part of this island. You have no right to claim it as your own."

"I was born on this island!" Ao yelled, straining against his ropes. "I have never left this island! I have grown up here. I live here. How can this island not be mine?!"

"Because your parents are not traditional Iwato Jima residents!" Kouzawa yelled, throwing his drink at the boy. The contents splashed on Ao's back as the glass shattered against the wall behind him, peppering him with glass shards. Kouzawa stood and approached the boy, grabbing him by the collar and standing him up. "You have no direct family ties to this land. You merely adopted the island as your home. You are not one of us!"

Ao could tell that Kouzawa was drunk. Familiar with the fact that alcohol and ideals can cause violence, Ao realized that the only way to keep from being beat up further was playing along. Swallowing hard, Ao looked at the man.

"Okay, you're right," Ao muttered, trying to read Kouzawa's face. "Sorry for arguing. Please continue with your explanation."

Grunting with contempt, Kouzawa let go of the boy, turning to go back to his desk. Ao could smell the alcohol on his breath, and he knew that he just avoided another brutal beating.

"As I was saying, we have formed a militia on this island. While we stand for the defense of our homes, we also have a grander plan. We plan to work with allies throughout the region to make Okinawa a completely free nation."

"So, was that attack on the north shore planned?" Ao questioned, a deep sense of foreboding settling within him.

"No," Kouzawa sighed, waving his hand dismissively. "Although, the Japanese shouldn't have been trying to take that coral plant in the first place, but that's something else. No, the issue is about a machine that showed up."

"What machine?" Ao asked, hoping Kouzawa didn't know he was the pilot.

"A machine similar to the one that appeared when your mother first arrived here," Kouzawa explained, his voice beginning to show signs of returning anger. "But it's funny, you know?"

"What is?" Ao cautiously ventured, mentally preparing for whatever was about to occur.

"When the first machine showed up, only your mother could interact with it." Kouzawa stated, turning to face Ao with a knowing smirk. "Naturally, it can be assumed that this machine could only have been piloted by someone related to your mother."

"_Crap!" _Ao thought, realizing he was caught.

"There is no denying that you were the pilot," Kouzawa exclaimed, triumphantly. "So don't even try to."

"Okay, so what?" Ao defiantly countered. "I kept the G-Monster from destroying the island!"

"Yes, but now that the Japanese know that we have this machine, you think they'll just sit idly by and let us have it?!" Kouzawa retorted, his voice beginning to rise. "Your actions have invited a war!"

Ao leaned against the wall, trying to come to grips with this revelation.

* * *

Ivica peered through binoculars at the building in front of him. He and the three men who had led him to the outpost had taken up a hidden position behind a nearby hill to wait for Fleur to arrive to assist them. The situation wasn't good. The building was an extension of an old World War II bunker, so the construction created a concrete shell with only air vents for openings. Doors were made of metal, with some rusting with age and elemental exposure. Guards discreetly patrolled the perimeter, and Ivica could tell that darkness wouldn't be a hindrance to them. Ivica's phone vibrated, alerting him to a call.

"Go ahead," he whispered, addressing the caller.

"It's Fleur. I'm in position," the voice replied.

"Excellent," Ivica replied, ending the conversation.

"Uh, Ivica?" Gazelle directed at the man.

"Yeah, what?" Ivica replied.

"We've got a problem. Look at the west side of the building." Gazelle directed.

Ivica turned his binoculars to the left, and immediately his expression turned sour. Two men were standing a slight distance away from the bunker, leaning on shovels, a freshly dug hole in front of them.

"Gazelle, prepare to go," Ivica commanded, activating his headset. "Fleur."

"Yes, Chief?" a voice replied.

"Be ready to go. We're gonna have to move fast," Ivica instructed.

"What's wrong? Was your cover blown?" Fleur replied.

"No, but it appears they are about to kill the pilot. Be ready in three minutes," Ivica commanded, shutting off his communicator. Returning to his FP, he reached in the back and grabbed a flare gun. "_Let's hope I'm not too late,"_ he thought, preparing for the worst.

* * *

Ao stared at Kouzawa, who had turned and resumed writing. "_I've gotta get out of here,"_ he thought, looking over at the door on his right. It was metal, and obviously heavy, remembering how it took both of those boys from earlier to open it. Scanning the room, Ao silently sighed, realizing that escape was impossible. The only other openings in the room were small gaps near the ceiling in the wall to his left, which served as air vents to keep the air in the room from becoming stagnant. The ceiling fan creaked as it spun, helping to move the air within the room.

"So, what happens to me now?" Ao asked, looking at Kouzawa's back.

"I'm still trying to decide on that myself," the man replied, his hand scribbling to a flourish before setting the pen down. "I have two choices."

"What are those?" Ao asked, suddenly becoming wary.

"As much as I would hate to, I could hand you and that infernal machine over to the Japanese, with conditions, of course," the man replied, turning to face his captive.

"What?!" Ao yelled, struggling to get free from the ropes holding his hands together.

"That machine is very powerful. Too powerful for this island. We have connections within the Japanese government that would be willing to make this whole battle incident just go away. And they might be able to convince the government to grant Okinawa full independence too," Kouzawa smirked, proud of his plan.

"So you'll let them take me from everything I've ever known so you can keep everything the same?" Ao blurted out, incredulous.

"Not necessarily. I have another option," Kouzawa stated blandly.

"What's that?" Ao asked.

Kouzawa opened a drawer in his desk and removed a pistol. "I could just kill you."

* * *

Gazelle and Pippo were walking down the edge of the road, chatting to each other. The guards outside the bunker, wary of their sudden appearance, checked to make sure their weapons were hidden and ready in case things deteriorated before venturing out to meet the duo.

"I'm telling you, it's a Japanese bunker!" Pippo argued with his friend, trying to hide any hint of unease about what they were trying to do.

"And I'm telling you that there weren't any bunkers made on this island!" Gazelle argued back, hiding his unease easily. "The bunkers were built on the surrounding islands, not this one."

"What are you guys up to?" one of the guards yelled out to the two, walking up to meet them.

"Ah, hello," Pippo stammered out, taken by surprise. "I was just telling Gazelle here that there was a bunker on this island, but he doesn't believe me!"

"I've been telling him that there were no bunkers built on this island during the war," Gazelle countered, shooting a pointed glare at Pippo.

"Look, it's right there!" Pippo shouted, pointing at the bunker, starting to become more obscured with the rapidly approaching darkness.

"Well, well," Gazelle looked on, starting to walk closer to it. "There really is a bunker here."

"Yeah, and you can explore it in the morning," the guard said, stepping between Gazelle and the bunker.

"Aw, come on, man!" Gazelle begged, trying to walk around the guard. "Just a quick peek before it gets dark?"

"I said no," the man replied, pulling a pistol out of his back pocket. "Now please leave the premises."

"What's going on here?" Gazelle demanded, slowly backing up along with Pippo.

"It's late, you can see it tomorrow," the guard replied, his face hard like stone in the fading light.

"What if I can make it brighter?" Gazelle smirked.

"Wha-"

The guard began to reply as a flare shot up and exploded above the bunker, casting bright light over the landscape. Blinded, the guard yelled in confusion before dropping his gun, grabbing his eyes. The other guards were blinded as well, and before they could move, a deafening blast occurred to their right, throwing them forward into the dirt, disoriented and in pain.

* * *

"Kill me?!" Ao yelled out in surprise, feverishly trying to free himself while backing away from his former teacher.

"You just don't understand, do you?" Kouzawa asked, the gun beginning to shake in his grip. "Your mother, when she left and caused the Scub Burst, killed my wife and son. My only son. Every day since then has been torture. You know why?"

Ao continued to struggle to get free, eyeing the gun warily. Fear crashed inside him like waves against the rocky shores he had flown over just a few hours earlier.

"It's because every day, I have to wake up and see the face of their murderer," Kouzawa forced out, his teeth clenched together as tears began to well in his eyes.

"For the last time, she didn't kill them!" Ao screamed at Kouzawa, his desperation driving him to try and reason with the breaking man in front of him. "Blame the G-Monster for showing up! If my mom hadn't acted, everyone might have died!"

"No!" Kouzawa yelled back, shaking his head in a futile attempt to clear his head. "She triggered the explosion that killed them. Don't you dare try to pass the blame on something else!"

"It's true, though!" Ao exclaimed, his body trembling with fear and anger.

"No. No, you're wrong. And now I'll get a chance to avenge my son's death." Kouzawa exhaled, grabbing the pistol and chambering a round. Staring at the man, Ao noticed his eyes no longer showed any semblance of life. Rooted to the spot, Ao swallowed hard, trying to believe that everything in front of him was merely a dream, a nightmare that he would wake up from at any time. As Kouzawa turned off the safety, Ao stared in horror as the man prepared to fire.

* * *

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Both Ao and Kouzawa noticed a flash of light from the ceiling air vents. As both turned to look, the door behind them was shoved open violently, and a man in a red and white vest ran in. Grabbing Ao, the man turned and bolted towards the door. Kouzawa, noticing the intruder, turned to fire, only for a loud blast to propel him to the floor, tossing the gun from his hand and across the room. Chunks of concrete littered the floor as a giant hole appeared in the side of the room. From the hole emerged two men, who rushed into the room and started tossing hunks of concrete aside. Smoke billowed out of the hole, leaving behind an acrid stench that filled the room.

"Ao! Ao!" one of the voices shouted, searching frantically for the boy.

Ao coughed, lying on his back just outside the room. The man had grabbed him and just managed to get him on the other side of the door before the blast. Knocked off his feet by the shockwave, Ao slowly sat up, shaking his head. The man who rescued him was standing up slowly, brushing dust off of his uniform.

"Are you okay, Ao?" the man asked, leaning down to untie the rope binding Ao's wrists.

"Yeah, I guess. Who are you?" Ao inquired, rubbing his wrists gingerly as his hands were freed.

"Ao!" Gazelle yelled, running though the door and stopping at the feet of the boy. "Are you alright?"

"Gazelle? What are you doing here?" Ao asked, still shaken from the blast.

"You didn't think I'd let you get taken, did you?" Gazelle stated proudly, helping Ao to his feet.

"Hey, we helped!" Pippo yelled from the other room.

Ao chuckled, glad to know that his friends had genuinely cared enough for him that they were able to find and rescue him. Returning to the room where he had been captive, Ao noticed that Kouzawa was flat on his back in the corner, a gash on his forehead leaking blood down his face and onto the floor. At his feet were two pieces of paper. Leaning down, Ao picked them up, their contents illuminated by the small fire burning just outside the room. The papers were a formal letter, detailing how Ao was to be handed over to the Japanese alongside the machine he knew was his Nirvash.

"What's it say?" Pippo asked, oblivious to the true intentions of Kouzawa and his men.

"They were gonna hand me and the Nirvash over to the Japanese," Ao remarked, handing Gazelle the letter.

"The Nirvash?" Pippo raised his eyebrows at the name.

"The machine we found," Ao explained, noticing another slip of paper under Kouzawa's leg. As Gazelle and Pippo took turns reading the letter, Ao leaned down and withdrew the folded note. Opening it, Ao was surprised to see a photo of Kouzawa and his family inside, a photo taken long before the Scub Burst, as it contained a beautiful woman and a young boy, sitting on Kouzawa's shoulders, all three of them laughing and clearly happy. Underneath the photo were the words "_It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black,_" scrawled in pen almost to the point of illegibility. Refolding the paper, Ao placed it on Kouzawa's chest before turning and walking outside, shivering at the cool night air.

"This is insane," Gazelle muttered, tossing the letter onto the fire and watching it ignite. "Kouzawa's a teacher, for crying out loud. Now he's a militiaman?"

"It's not very unusual," the man in the vest replied, emerging from the building. "Conflict has a way of creating interesting things."

Ao turned to look at the man. He was tall, and his hair made him seem taller. The light from the fire reflected off of his glasses, obscuring his eyes as he stared at the flames as they consumed the remains of the letter.

"Sir," Ao directed towards the man. "I don't know who you are, but you saved my life back there. Thank you."

"Don't thank me, Ao," the man replied, turning to face the boy. "It was your girlfriend who saved you. Had she not followed you here, we wouldn't have been able to find you."

"I don't have a girlfr-" Ao began, before freezing, his eyes opening wide at the realization. "Naru!"

"Yes, her," the man continued. "She told us where to find you."

"How was she? Was she okay?!" Ao inquired frenetically.

"She was fine until she started coughing a lot," Pippo revealed, earning a slap to the back of head from Gazelle. "Ow!"

"Please take me to her!" Ao pleaded, turning to face both Gazelle and the man.

"I'll take him," the man replied, directing his gaze towards Gazelle. "I have room in my FP for him."

"I don't think so," Gazelle countered, stepping towards Ao. "Who's to say you won't just take him, too?"

"I told Toshio I'd return him, remember?" the man replied, crossing his arms sternly. "You have my word."

Gazelle growled thoughtfully, contemplating those words. Yes, he had told Toshio he'd return Ao, and it wouldn't make sense for him to lie about that, especially after everything that'd just happened. Turning back towards the road, Gazelle sighed.

"Fine. I trust you. Thank you for your help, Ivica." Gazelle acquiesced, extending his hand towards the man.

"Thank you, Gazelle," Ivica nodded, grabbing Gazelle's hand in a firm handshake.

"Are you sure you're okay, Ao?" Gazelle directed towards the boy, noting his black eye.

"I'll be fine, Gazelle. Thank you, all of you," Ao smiled wearily. "Ivica, huh?" Ao remarked, watching Gazelle and Pippo walk towards the road as Gazelle's FP appeared, Han Juno piloting it.

"Yes, Ivica Tanović, Chief of the Generation Bleu vessel _Triton_, commander of the IFO unit _Pied Piper_, and acquaintance to your mother, Eureka."

Ao perked up at that last bit, stunned that this man not only knew his mother, but was also close enough to be a friend. Well, acquaintance, but since everyone outside of Toshio considered her a monster, calling him a friend was plausible. Curious to learn more, Ao followed the man as he led the boy to his FP.

* * *

Fleur watched the whole ordeal play out from the Alleluia. She had scanned the bunker with infrared sensors and, after seeing the flare that signaled the attack, she had fired a short-range rocket at the exposed bunker wall. Had she fired earlier, the blast, contained by the metal door and concrete walls, would have killed both people inside the room. As everyone emerged from the bunker, she was taken aback to discover that the pilot who had outmaneuvered her, who had taken her for a wild goose chase over the entire archipelago, was merely a kid. As everyone left, Fleur flipped the switches on the console to her left, activating the IFO. Directing the craft in the direction towards the _Triton_, she flipped two more switches to activate the auto-pilot. As the machine took off and returned to the ship, she reached behind her seat and grabbed her tablet, intending to relax before resuming the task at hand.

* * *

Ao looked out the window of the FP that Ivica was piloting, his mind whirling. There were so many questions that needed to be asked, but none of them seemed to take priority. As the shadows of hills and trees passed by, the land not yet illuminated by the moon, Ao wondered what was to happen next.

"Don't worry, Ao, she'll be fine," Ivica spoke, bringing Ao back to reality.

"If Toshio is taking care of her, she will be," Ao muttered, still staring out the window.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ivica asked, looking at the boy. "They really did a number on you back there."

"I'll be fine, thanks," Ao remarked, wiping dried blood off his face with his shirt sleeve. "Some punks decided that I was a worthy punching bag."

"I didn't realize you'd be in such a shape, or I'd have brought a shirt," Ivica remarked, noting the smell of alcohol on his back.

Ao didn't respond. Sighing deeply, the boy closed his eyes, relieved that the ordeal he had just endured was fading into the distance behind them.

"I know you've been through a lot, but do you mind if I ask you some questions?" Ivica offered, trying to start a conversation with the boy.

"I have questions too," Ao replied, turning to face the man. "How did you know my mother?"

Ivica sat quietly for a moment, debating how much to reveal to the boy. After a few seconds, he decided to tell the truth. "We worked together on a couple missions. She was very helpful to our organization."

"She worked for Generation Bleu?" Ao asked, his eyes widening further.

"Yes. That machine you were piloting was hers. The machines that saved you from that Secret earlier were created by analyzing your mother's machine." Ivica revealed, concentrating on the road.

"Wait, 'Secret'?" Ao, confused, interjected.

"Oh, um, the G-Monster, I believe is how you know them?" Ivica corrected himself, remembering that all of this was news to Ao.

"Ah, they're called Secrets?" Ao wondered.

"Yes. Anyway, she helped us by allowing us to use the Mark I, I believe she called it the 'Nirvash', until we could manufacture our own IFO's," Ivica elaborated further.

"I take it IFO's were those two craft from earlier?" Ao inquired.

"Yes. After that, we left her alone. She was raising you, after all. That is, until ten years ago," Ivica continued, preparing to explain the next portion of the story.

"The Okinawa Scub Burst," Ao muttered, his mind flashing back to Kouzawa's story from earlier.

"That's actually a misconception," Ivica corrected the boy. "She prevented a Scub Burst. The explosion was from the Secret being caught in the midst of trying to fuse with the Coral plant. When the Quartz…"

"Quartz?" Ao interjected again.

"Ah, sorry, the core materials of a Coral plant, as it were. Anyway, she had tried to stop the Secret from merging with the Quartz, but at the last second, she and the Quartz vanished. The Secret then exploded in the blast that people refer to as the 'Okinawa Scub Burst,'" Ivica finished explaining.

"So my mom's…dead?" Ao muttered, his hopes beginning to sink.

"We don't know," Ivica admitted. "However, we are trying to find out."

"How so? Can I do anything?" Ao perked up, trying to push the thought of his mother being dead out of his mind.

"Well, Generation Bleu officially exists to stop Scub Bursts," Ivica continued. "Unofficially, we are also trying to find and recover your mother."

"I want to help," Ao stated. "I want to find my mother."

"I'm sure you do, but first things first, let's check on your friend," Ivica concluded, pulling into Toshio's driveway. Ao leaped out of the FP and bolted into the house, racing to tell Naru the news.

* * *

Gazelle was livid. Pippo knew there was a problem when Gazelle didn't bother to offer to take control of the FP. Han Juno nimbly steered the craft around the countryside back to where the other FP's were parked, explaining everything he had discovered during the rescue.

"So, the company is based in Switzerland, but operates all over the world," Han revealed, speaking to his companions. "Their operations focus on defeating G-Monsters, which they call 'Secrets,' and stabilizing the Coral Plants that can appear at any time."

"How did they manage to get here from Switzerland as quickly as they did?" Pippo asked, noticing Gazelle lost in thought.

"My guess is they were either in the area or were in space," Han continued. "My research indicates that they use a space station as a rest area for long journeys."

"Probably in space when the G-Monster arrived," Gazelle muttered.

"Exactly," Han agreed.

"Uh, Gazelle, what's up?" Pippo nervously ventured.

"I've had it," Gazelle muttered once more.

"Sorry, what?" Pippo asked for clarification.

"I've had it with this stupid island!" Gazelle yelled, slamming his fist onto the dashboard. "Everyone but us, Naru, and Toshio treat Ao like dirt, and now the local militia want to hand him over to the Japanese?!"

"Calm down, Gazelle," Han warned. "Last thing we need is a sudden air bag deployment."

"I'm serious," Gazelle continued ranting. "If my home is nothing more than a collection of oppressive old men and women who can't accept differences, I don't want any part of it."

"Where will you go?!" Pippo exclaimed.

"I'm thinking of joining that Generation Bleu outfit," Gazelle muttered, resuming thinking.

"You, in an organization?" Han wondered aloud.

"It's better than nothing," Gazelle reasoned. "Plus, I bet Ao will be joining them."

"Really?" Pippo inquired.

"Yeah, this island has shown him its true colors," Gazelle explained. "Besides, with that machine, he could go find his mom. Generation Bleu gives him the out."

"True," Han agreed. "So, you'll just waltz up to the Generation Bleu ship and demand a job?"

"Pretty much. If they say no, I'll just sneak on board and get lost in their headquarters," Gazelle concluded.

"That's a crazy plan," Han stated, Pippo nodding his head in agreement. "Looks like I'll join you."

"What?!" Pippo exclaimed from the back seat. "Han, are you serious?!"

"Yeah. I've got nothing here other than you guys," Han continued. "Besides, Gazelle, you know you won't get anywhere without my help."

Gazelle chuckled at Han's friendly insult as Han landed the FP at the beach where their FP's were parked earlier. Getting out, Gazelle and Pippo returned to their crafts.

"I'm joining you," Pippo announced out loud.

"Really?" Gazelle mocked, teasingly. "Won't you miss your mommy?"

"Stop it!" Pippo yelled. "Yeah, but I'll miss you guys more. Besides, I'm not following dad into the military. No way!"

Gazelle and Han laughed as they entered their respective FP's and took off, following Han to where the Generation Bleu craft was parked just off shore. On the way, Gazelle continued to plan. If their plan worked, the three would find themselves embarking on new adventures. If not, they were stuck on the island. Musing, the trio continued their journey.

* * *

Elena sat in the Kyrie, watching one of her shows. After extracting as much Quartz as she could hold, she had no choice but to wait for Fleur to return. She was so engrossed in her show that she failed to see both the red blip appear on her radar as well as her communicator flashing, indicating a call.

"Elena!" a voice shook her from her diversion.

"Ah, miss Fleur," Elena recovered, composed. "I take it your journey was a failure?"

Fleur growled, angry at her friend's assessment. "It seems like you failed, too."

"What do you mean, I failed?" Elena gasped in mock outrage."I wasn't the one who chased the Mark I all over creation. I collected all the Quartz I can, and I've been…monitoring the situation."

"Have you?" Fleur asked, amused.

"Yep, no problems here," Elena stated confidently.

"So, what's that behind you?" Fleur asked, smirking.

Elena turned the Kyrie and immediately her countenance fell. Off in the distance, a large, black creature seemingly hovered over the horizon, its purple outlines and bizarre shape giving it away as a Secret. The column of light that heralded its appearance was fading away, a sliver in the night sky. Activating her scanners, Elena shut off her tablet and stuffed it behind her seat.

"It's an R/C-type Secret, approximately 40 miles away, according to scans," Elena announced. Fingers moving deftly, she activated a second communications relay, hailing Rebecka. Rebecka's face appeared on the other end, clearly agitated.

"That Secret wasn't supposed to appear for another hour!" Elena exclaimed, activating the Kyrie's console to completely reactivate the machine.

"I guess your removing the Quartz spurred it to arrive quicker?" Fleur offered, amused that her friend was caught off guard by the massive creature.

"This isn't funny," Rebecka growled. "Are you two able to engage?"

"Ammo is low, but it shouldn't be a problem," Elena announced, pulling back on the console to transition the Kyrie to its jet form.

"I'm fine on ammo, but my fuel is low," Fleur updated. "It would be best to use the trapar as much as I can."

"Conserve fuel and wait until the Secret is within range for close range assault. ETA, 22 minutes," Rebecka ordered, shutting off her relay, only to reactivate it. "Oh, Elena?"

"Yes, Ms. Hallström?" Elena responded.

"You ignored my calls again," Rebecka growled.

"I'm sorry!" Elena blushed. Fleur giggled in the background.

"We'll deal with this later. For now, prepare to engage," Rebecka ended the communication. In the _Triton's _bridge, Rebecka pushed a few buttons in an attempt to hail Ivica. Things were starting to look desperate.

* * *

Ao sat next to Naru's bed, telling her about what had happened. Toshio and Ivica stood outside the room, giving the two of them privacy. When Ao had bolted into the house, Toshio got a good look at the mistreatment the boy had endured, and it took all the restraint he could muster to keep himself composed. After reassuring the boy that Naru was fine, he treated the cuts and bruises that blemished Ao's skin before sending him to shower. Freshly changed, the boy told Naru of his ordeal, sparing no detail.

'I can't believe they were just gonna hand you over!" Naru exclaimed, propped up on a couple of white pillows. Her lungs had calmed shortly after Toshio took her from Gazelle, but she was still ordered to rest.

"I'm more in shock that he tried to kill me," Ao responded, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, to be fair, I figured that he was more likely to do that," Naru stated, looking up at the ceiling.

"True. I'm just glad they got me out of there," Ao sighed. "They wouldn't have found me if it wasn't for you, ya know?"

"Whatever. I'm sure your eyes would have been so bright that anyone within a hundred miles coulda seen 'em," Naru waved her hand flippantly. She was relieved that he had been rescued, but couldn't help teasing him.

"My eyes aren't that bright!" Ao gasped, before chuckling softly. Naru joined him, careful to avoid laughing too hard.

"Seriously, thank you," Ao said after a brief period of silence.

"You're welcome," Naru replied, a small smile on her face. Looking at Ao, Naru noticed that he looked exhausted. The strain of flying a machine he had never piloted before, combined with being beaten and held captive, had drained him of energy, and he looked like he could fall asleep at any moment. Toshio entered the room, gently closing the door behind the trio.

"How are you two feeling?" Toshio inquired.

"Fine," Naru replied.

"Okay, I guess," Ao stood, moving to the side so Toshio could check on Naru.

"Good, good," Toshio exhaled. "Ao, I need to talk to you outside."

Ao swallowed hard, preparing for the worst. Walking out of the room, Toshio closed the door behind them, leaving Ao, Toshio, and Ivica in the hallway.

"What's wrong?" Ao asked, worried. "Is it Naru?"

"No, Naru's fine," Toshio reassured the boy. "No, Ivica wants to talk to you."

"Oh, okay," Ao sighed, relieved.

"I'll be to the point," Ivica spoke, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "I was just contacted by my second-in-command. Another Secret has appeared."

"Another one?" Ao blinked in surprise.

"Yes. My team is in the process of trying to destroy it, but they don't really have the fuel or ammo to deal with another one," Ivica continued.

"And you want me to use the Nirvash to help them," Ao finished Ivica's thought.

"I realize that you've had a long day," Ivica nodded. "But I really need your help, here."

"I don't know if I can help you," Ao looked at the man. "I could barely use the controls when I took on that first monster."

"The controls are similar to the ones our pilot's use," Ivica continued. "I can take you to it and give you a brief training session along the way."

Ao looked at the man, then back to Toshio. Toshio was looking out a nearby window, his hands by his side.

"Ao, I'm not going to force you to go," Ivica spoke. "I know that fighting is difficult, especially at such a young age."

Ao thought hard, looking back at the door to Naru's room. Yes, he had had a long day, and going into another battle would be pushing him to his limits. But this man had saved his life, and if the team failed to defeat this monster, the entire island could be destroyed. Turning back to face the man, Ao stared resolutely.

"I'll tell you where the Nirvash is. It isn't far."

"Excellent," Ivica replied, turning to face Toshio. "Sir, I will return your grandson as soon as we are finished. You have my word."

Toshio turned and stared at the man, his hard gaze boring into the man's mind. "I hope so, Mr. Tanović."

Ao ran into his room and grabbed a jacket, remembering how cold the air had been earlier. As he threw the garment on, he looked over at the dresser to the photo he had found earlier. His mom's face, smiling happily, looked back at him. Sighing quietly, the boy slid the photo into his pocket before running after Ivica, who had walked out to his FP. Hopping into the FP, the duo headed out to the cliffs, preparing for the battle ahead.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED…


End file.
